November 17, 2008
Obamapaloodle. . . .
This week's weekend caption contest at Wizbang gives us a few laughs at the The One. It should be noted that the picture below is apparently NOT a photoshop.
I'm partial to faustian's caption:
"I would like to point out to our black friends that the white dude just behind Obama was a Republican.Those guys in the sheets were democrats."
But the top six are all winners.
Posted by JasonColeman at 9:41 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 2, 2008
Alright now, knock it the hell off. . .
These things are getting a bit too creepy. (UPDATE: Both of the videos below have had their creators rethink what they have done, or perhaps they just didn't think people would catch on? Not to fear though, the videos are fixed.)
I really just don't know what to say about that. Actually, I know what I want to say. Wake the hell up America! The Obama-messiah BS has just got to stop! This Emperor has no clothes!
I was going to let the video below pass, but after the one above, I just had to put it somewhere I can easily reference it. So here it is, I'm sure you heard about it.
Oh well, there is of course hope. First there's this little Obama tid bit:
Which answers my earlier question of just what is Obama's real name. Turns out, It's Barry Soetoro. I wonder if some enterprising journalist out there would care to ask Candidate Soetoro/Obama when and why he changed his name, changed it back and just what is with "Barack Hussein Obama"?
You know, he could have cleared this up long ago, but now we have to get a court order for Barack Obama to produce his birth certificate ("a "vault" version (certified copy of his "original" long version Birth Certificate, no less").
Oh, but wait, it gets better:
"2. A certified copy of Obama's Certification of Citizenship
3. A Certified copy of Obama's Oath of Allegiance."
As I said, he could have cleared this up long ago, but didn't. And HEY! What's this about 200 million in possibly illegal Obama campaign contributions????
--Jason
Posted by JasonColeman at 12:06 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 29, 2008
Origins of the financial "crisis" explained. . .
In the following video, it's plain that the Bush administration and Republicans have tried for YEARS to prevent the current financial crisis. Guess who added both fuel and the spark needed to elevate this into a crisis.
Watch the whole video, especially wait for the Clinton (President Bill) clip at the end.
--Jason
Posted by JasonColeman at 10:31 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 22, 2008
Let's set the record straight about community organizers. . .
During her Emmy acceptance speechlet, actress Laura Linney made the statement:
"the great community organizers that helped form our country"
referring to the John Adams HBO mini-series and giving a nod to Democrat Presidential Nominee Barack Obama. Also:
"Our founding fathers were community organizers. And that is fact to me. And I feel that has been disparaged."
Let's set the record straight about Obama and our founding fathers as "community organizers."
John Adams was a lawyer and a farmer.
Thomas Jefferson was a lawyer, agronomist, musician, scientist, philosopher, author, architect, inventor, and statesman.
Sam Adams was an unsuccessful brewer, a clerk, an unsuccessful business man and a tax collector.
Benjamin Franklin was a businessman, writer, publisher and scientist.
(Here is a link to the bios of the signers of the Declaration of Independence)
Obama was hired by ACORN to be a "community organizer". ACORN is an international liberal activism group responsible for multiple instances of voter fraud. Also, in 2006, according to the WSJ "House Democrats pushed an "affordable housing trust fund" designed to use Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac profits to subsidize ACORN".
It is INSULTING to our founding fathers to equate them this way.
--Jason
PS As an atheist, I really get a kick out of the "Jesus was a 'community organizer'" meme that circulates amonst the left. I can't really think of something that would me more offensive to a Christian and perhaps it's the faux Christianity that the left likes to portray that has caused them to fall into this trap. To suggest that Jesus was taking a low level job with international political action groups getting their funding from the Roman government; and that Jesus was going around taking census and holding peoples hands as they petitioned local government officials is simply absurd. Let's not mention that Jesus according to Christians and others ACTUALLY DID STUFF, while the communities Obama "organized" are generally worse off than they were before Obama.
-JC
Posted by JasonColeman at 10:20 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 10, 2008
Boy George endorses Obama. . .
Well, all righty then, that seals it for me.
Seriously, if you watch that video, and as a result of said watching. . . you think, somehow, that Barack Obama is "your kinda president", then please, don't ever bothering speaking to me again. In fact, don't ever bother reading this blog again, just ban this URL in your firewall settings.
I understand completely that Obama definately probably had no hand in the production of said video. I'll grant that they maybe probably did not approve of it. This may not be the Boy George Barack Obama thought he knew.
It's the messiah-ness of Obama's campaign. The examples are legion and too many to list at this point.
So, once again, if that video increased in any way, any positive feelings you may have of Obama's race for the Presidency of the United States, just turn around and go away now.
--Jason
Posted by JasonColeman at 5:52 PM | Comments (1)
September 7, 2008
Sarah Palin, moose killer, maverick, moose killer. . .
This new campaign ad deserves a national run.
--Jason
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August 4, 2008
Why Bacchus should return to Washington. . .
As an original cosponsor of "The American Energy Act", Bacchus should be front and center in Washington DC this week as other GOP Congressmen continue their protest and demand for debate and and up and down vote on opening domestic reserves oil drilling.
The full test of The American Energy Act is here.
Where this current protest one the House floor (during adjournment) all started is captured in the video below:
I can definately say that I support The American Energy Act, very wholeheartedly, but I would support almost any legislation that would open America's proven oil reserves to be opened for drilling, NOW, YESTERDAY.
I support the "all of the above approach" that begins with drilling, and more drilling, and more drilling. Drill until the United States becomes not only independent of foreign oil, but ensures that we have sufficient supply to take care of the U.S. and her allies should the need arise.
Next, let's get started post-haste with nuclear power development. It's a proven and SAFE technology and it's economically viable now. Let's fast track "clean coal" and "coal liquification" technology and permitting. Let's get natural gas flowing south from Alaska and north from the Gulf of Mexico. Let's enact a national net metering law so that any individual can produce their own solar and wind energy and sell it back to local utilities. Let's create tax credits for companies developing alternative fuels and energy technology.
Democrats have been ubstructionist long enough, it's time that we return to an era of cheap energy (and yes, we can do it all much "cleaner" now and we shall and should), and stop waiting for the miraculous spontaneous development of a fuzzy bunny superfuel fairy sunshine breeze in the bright sun.
With abundant energy, things, not just some things, but almost all things, get cleaner quicker. That includes your home, your car, the streets, the lawns and gardens, the offices, the shops, the manufacturing plants and the service centers, the public areas and private areas, in fact, the whole damn planet will become cleaner due to cheap energy. If you don't understand why and how that is, you're simply a moron.
It's time to end the era of shortages and commodity price hikes, it's time to enter the era of surplus, diversification and prosperity for all. Cheap and abundant energy is the only way to get there.
--Jason
PS - Drill here, Drill Now, Pay Less!
Update: As I wrote this earlier, Obama was giving a speech about his energy plan, as expected, it's a recipe for shortages, with the hope of fuzzy bunnies to the rescue.
Update: To keep up with the protest on the House floor, the Republican Leadership has a "sort-of" blog.
Posted by JasonColeman at 12:03 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Congressman Spencer Bachus, please return to Washington. . .
Just got off the phone with Jason (no relation) at Congressman Bachus' Birmingham office and was told that Congressman Bachus was "in the district". How unfortunate.
Jason also informed me that I was the first inquiry to the local office about Congressman Bachus' and the current GOP protest over oil drilling taking place on the House floor at this very moment.
He suggested I call the Washington office. So I shall.
--Jason (again, no relation to the Jason above)
UPDATE: DC (Davis) doesn't know. Although I must admit that he offers an excellent excuse for being away from Washington. One that, at this moment, I do not agree with. I would hope that he plans to be back in Washington as soon as possible and suggest that he put out a statement of support at least.
-jc
Posted by JasonColeman at 11:39 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 22, 2008
Bob Newhart vs. Obama
Every election that rolls round makes me think of Bob Newhart's "Abe Lincoln vs. Madison Ave."
The Intro -
"Thank you, thank you very much.Many of you may have read The Hidden Persuaders, it's about avertising. . . and one of the points the book made was that the real danger of the public relations man, or the advertising man, was that they were creating images. And they felt that in the presidential campaigns, the candidates were really getting closer and closer together, there was no real difference between them, and you were really voting for the man. . . and this got me to thinking. Now supposing this science, were as far advanced during the civil war. . . as it is today. . . and there was no Lincoln. . Now the advertising people realizing this, would have had to create a Lincoln, and I think they would have gone about it. . . something like this.
This is a telephone conversation between Abe, and his press agent, just before Gettysburg."
My, how far the ad-man has come.
Posted by JasonColeman at 4:46 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 6, 2008
Great Stuff. . .
Right Wing Nut House via HotAir.
Posted by JasonColeman at 11:19 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 27, 2008
One. . .
Just thought that needed pointing out.
--Jason
Posted by JasonColeman at 4:57 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 24, 2008
The third act. . .
So I guess it's down to Rudy or Mitt. (I've been leaning Rudy for some time, but I need to take a closer look at Mitt.)
--Jason
Posted by JasonColeman at 10:51 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 13, 2008
Comedy Gold
Even better:
Kudos to Travis and Jonathan and of course Red State Update.
--Jason
Posted by JasonColeman at 11:49 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 30, 2007
Too funny to not mention. . .
62 percent of Democrats admit they are either a little or a lot crazy.
That's probably too mean, let's try this:
62 percent of Democrats aren't playing with a full deck. Yeah, that's better.
Hey! Don't get mad at me, I'm just the messenger, Gallup is the one that put together the report. (via WSJ Best of the Web Today)
The WSJ calls it "The Sanity Gap" but I like my phrasing better, I think it gets more to the point of the matter.
It's an interesting report, and worth taking a few moments to read through it. It also suggests a few possible explanations for the debacle at the CNN/YouTube Republican Primary Debate such as:
1. The reason so many Democrats thought it'd be ok to insinuate themselves into what was supposed to be a Republican Primary Debate of Republican candidates for Republicans. They were simply too mentally unstable to understand that they get their debate, and if they want to have all the questions asked by Democrat activists, interns for Democrat representatives, Democrat campaign steering committee members, Democrat campaign volunteers or Democrat Senator employees, former CAIR interns and Democrat aspiring TV writers who think that absurd racist stereotypes are funny, that's fine; and Republicans should be allowed to have their debate free from interference from Democrats masquerading as Republicans.
2. It also could explain why Democrat and Democrat agenda driven producers at CNN thought that it would be acceptable and appropriate to fly a sitting Hillary Clinton steering committee member from one side of the country to the other (creating what most likely is an illegal in-kind campaign contribution) and then have said Hillary Clinton team member miked up for more uninterrupted air-time than some Republican candidates (Hunter and Tancredo) at a Republican Primary Debate.
3. It could also explain the inability of CNN producers to use Google to vet questioners to insure they were on the up and up about their party preferences, affiliations and endorsements. They simply didn't have the mental capacity to use Google apparently.
4. It explains why Democrats would accept as valid the excuse, "that depends on what your definition of 'is' is."
5. It also explains why a majority of truthers are Democrats.
In all seriousness though, I think the report does raise some interesting points and suggests that accepting and believing in Democrat principles and policies is bad for your mental health. Which makes sense to me as the Democrat party moves farther and farther to the left and into the realm of socialism and communism. It can never be healthy for someone to intentionally subjugate their individualism in favor of collectivism in direct opposition to natural human nature. It also calls into question the validity of Democrat policies when a majority of Democrats admit themselves that their mental health is suffering.
The WSJ suggests that the fragile mental state of Democrats could be the result of spending 7 years in the wilderness while Republicans held the three branches of government, if that's the case, then one has to not only wonder about their mental health but also about their maturity. I've always thought that the Democrats penchant for demonizing Republicans, failing to accept the will of the people in 2000 and claim near constant victimhood status from the actions of Bush, Rove, Cheney, Rumsfeld etc was a sign of immaturity just as their penchant for calliing Republicans infantile names like "rethuglican" or "Bushitler" was.
I agree with the WSJ's assesment that without longitudinal data we can only speculate as to the reasons a majority of Democrats are willing to claim themselves mentally defective. If such a survey is conducted over the long term we may find out why a majority of Democrats feel they are mentally defective. At least I hope we can, so that we can address the issue appropriately and turn them away from ideals that seem to be harming their mental health.
--Jason
Posted by JasonColeman at 2:19 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 29, 2007
Today's Grab a Cup of Coffee - NASA Director Griffen's Speech
This is worth reading, on a number of levels. The quote below is pulled from the speech NASA Director Michael Griffin's speech accepting the Quasar award on Jan. 17.
"Let's think for a moment about national security. What is the value to the United States of being involved in enterprises which lift up human hearts everywhere when we do them? What is the value to the United States of being engaged in such projects, doing the kinds of things that other people want to do with us, as partners? What is the value to the United States of being a leader in such efforts, in projects in which every nation capable of doing so wants to take part? I would submit that the highest possible form of national security, well above having better guns and bombs than everyone else, well above being so strong that no one wants to fight with us, is the security which comes from being a nation which does the kinds of things that make others want to work with us to do them. What security could we ever ask that would be better than that, and what give more of it to us than the space program? "
--Jason
Posted by JasonColeman at 10:55 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
December 27, 2006
President Gerald Ford passes at 93
If you had lived in Vail, CO for any length of time through the 80's or 90's your path was bound to cross with the former President of the United States, Gerald Ford. At the very least, you'd come face to face with his Secret Service detail somewhere, I was lucky (and unlucky) enough to do both.
My first experience was with the agents that secure President Ford's home in Beaver Creek, situated directly under the Strawberry Park lift, is common enough (if you consider slopeside multi-million dollar homes common) but the pillbox shaped plain vanilla Secret Service residence and the tiny slopeside guardshack stands out, especially when Ford is in residence and the friendly but firm agents are directing wayward skiiers and snowboarders away from the residence.
On other occasions I was priviledged enough to meet, eat and converse for a few moments with the former President on multiple occasions, in short, he is a down to Earth, sensible and friendly man, whose presence not so much demands respect, but inspires it. He is quick to recognize that one is nervous or seeks a meeting and is quick to calm a visitor and greets humble meeting seekers warmly and with genuine courtesy and friendliness.
For a man who carried the nation's burden at one of her most difficult periods in history, Ford is perhaps a man who was ideally suited to the task. He was certainly not loved by Republicans and Democrats alike, but he was deeply respected by both parties for his intellect and logical approach to things. His decision to pardon Nixon was widely criticized yet proved to be the right thing to do and whiile comedians portrayed him as a bumbling klutz, in reality, he was a graceful, atheletic, surefooted. If you don't believe me, I'll give you a few challenges to prove the point.
First, head out to you local regional airport on an sunny day and bring a pair of very dark sunglasses, find yourself one of those staircars and stand at the top. Now take off the glasses and immediately walk down the stairs as fast as you can, smile and wave at some object/person in the distance and don't hold onto the handrails. Now repeat this exercise 100 times and see how many times you make it to the bottom without stumbling.
Next, lace yourself up a pair of cleats and head down to the local NFL franchise and challenge the boys to a little scrimmage and see how well you fair. Finally, cart yourself to the top of your local ski hill and strap on some vintage 60s era straight skis, bomb the most difficult runs and see how many times you fall. Now, do it again when you're 60, 70, or 80.
Sure Chevy Chase got some laughs at Ford's expense, some even say it cost him the election, but like most modern Presidents, their popular conception is misleading at best, grossly inaccurate at worst. Nixon, indeed, was not a crook, John F. Kennedy was not a saint, Reagan was certainly not an idiot and Ford was not a bumbling clown.
Like the others mentioned, now history can go about the task of evaluating Ford outside of the partisan spotlight and give us an accurate portrayal of the man as a leader, intellectual and genuine American President, who toasted his own muffins in the White House while restoring much confidence and repsect to the Office of President.
Ford won't go down as one of the nation's best Presidents, his term was too short and his tasks were not ones which gave opportunity for greatness, but President Gerald Ford was himself a Great Man, who loved his nation and his fellow citizens. President Gerald Ford had the mantle of a nation forced upon him at a time when few wanted it and still fewer were capable of wearing it.
I wish I could be more eloquent and describe my meetings with the man and the President in terms that showed a greater importance or say that we talked about great things, but alas my meetings were pedestrian, simple and the type one would have with acquaintance at mundane social functions, they were cordial, simple and short. We talked of the food, the snow, the games and the heaviest political discussions we shared revolved around the politics of a tiny ski-town. I will however forever count myself lucky however to have broken bread with him, share a few brief moments and consider myself lucky be recognized by someone I consider a Great Man when we met a second, third and more times.
Rest in peace President Ford, I and many others are sincerely grateful for your service, appreciate your sacrifices and honor your legacy. History will be kind, as well they should, for you were a Great Man in horrible times.
--Jason
President Ford passed at 93 at his home in Rancho Mirage, CA at 6:45 pm December, 26, 2006. [Link]
P.S. Above I allude that meeting President Ford's Secret Service detail was "unlucky". I mean that in jest. While certainly getting shoo'd away from his home while skiing was unlucky, I did have multiple occasions to meet his protective detail on multiple occasions. I even shared more than a few off-duty beers with them. These men and women were always the most professional and honorable of law enforcement officers, although they liked a good joke (as did the President) and were quick to remind me that their Department was under the Department of the Treasury just as the BATF was and since I held a BATF Brewer's license, they could make me squirm from time to time for fun (and it was fun). Professionally, the agents were masters of their craft; efficient, dedicated and trust-worthy almost to a fault, off-duty they were raucous and fun-loving (and some were quite good skiiers). I cherish my interactions with them just as much as I do meetings with the President. The term "unlucky" is used solely in jest.
-JC
Posted by JasonColeman at 9:59 AM
November 8, 2006
Is this relevant. . .
I'm not really sure it's relevant TODAY, but with the election of a Democrat Congress, I fear it will be relevant tomorrow.
Anyhoo, the song has running through my head all day, so here it is.
--Jason
Posted by JasonColeman at 3:31 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
I have no problem saying it. . .
I was wrong, and wrong in a rather big way.
Barring some MAJOR switcheroos the House is now controlled by the Dems, and it's very likely at this point that either Joe Lieberman is the most powerful man in Washington, or the Senate is fully lost (there's a chance we can hold the Senate now, but it seems unlikely).
It would be so easy to start with the Democrat tactic of claiming that the elections were stolen, that Diebold machines threw votes, or that operatives were suppressing votes. It would be easy to do that, but I won't. The Republican Party, my party, lost this fair and square, and largely through their own doins.
It unfortunate that this election now means that we may see the Democrats able to create the Vietnam in Iraq that they've been dreaming about for years now. I'm sorry for all of our men and women in uniform who now rightly fear that Pelosi and her comrades will de-fund them whilst they are in harm's way. I'm also very upset that we are handing to al-Queda the very victory they asked for.
I do see bright points of light however, and I see a very bright point of light in '08. I'll get to those another day.
For now, I'm going to have a beer, kick back and relax. That may seem flippant, but hey, I'm not a sore loser, never have been and never will be (except that one time, and that other one). I don't like it, but I won't let it consume me and drive me into a frenzy nut-case rage a la Al Gore. I also realize that things are going to get VERY sketchy the next two years; and since our national security is about to go straight down the tubes, it might be one of the last chances I have to relax for quite a while.
Oh yeah, if you're catching this early and haven't already done it, it might be a good idea to set up some automated trade triggers in case the Dow decides to tank.
--Jason
PS - On the plus side, the Republicans get to play the game like the minority party now, and boy oh boy will that be fun. Ya'll ain't seen nothing yet. If the Dems thought Rovian Campaign Strategy (which was certainly void in this election cycle) was dangerous before, they have no freakin' clue what happens when the gloves come off, and now they won't be able to cry the "we have no power to control that" card.
Actually, now that I reflect a bit, this isn't all that bad after all, and I feel so much better about '08. Enjoy your two years Dems, don't expect any more than that.
PPS - I want to retreat back a bit from the statement that a Republican Senate hold "seems unlikely". It's going to come down to Montana (where the polls are still open) and Virginia (where Allen is down by less than 3K, there WILL be a recount, and more than a few votes are still uncounted), if the Dems win both those races, it's lost. I am still very optimistic for both the VA and MT races, but we'll just have to wait till morning to see what shakes out.
One bright point is that a good friend is up and about in Montana and still working to get Republican voters to the polls.
Ya know, it'd be a great idea to pass a law that ends the publication of election results prior to a full count. I know it'll never ever happen, both sides would cry foul and the media would freak out about their loss of influence in the Western elections. However, it'd be a good law.
-JC
Posted by JasonColeman at 12:18 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
November 7, 2006
Let's just get this out of the way. . .
Republicans will retain control of the Senate.
Republicans will retain control of the House.
There is a chance that control of the House could be lost, but I just don't think the donks have the votes they think they do.
I could be wrong, we'll see. I do expect much shenanigans from the media, such as calling races before polls close, lots of doom and gloom in the AM television shows, in an attempt to demoralize Republican voters, but it will all be for naught. Of course the Dems will bitch and moan about "stolen elections", "diebold debauchery" etc etc etc in every loss for the Dems, and we'll have lots of media time wasted about challenges, recounts etc.
Once again the media and the left worked together hand in hand to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
I'm most interested to see what happens in the Maryland race, I think Steele will win. I hope Steele wins.
I'm also of course interested in the Virginia Senate race, I'm fairly confident on that one that Allen will win.
Well, that's it. Sorry that I haven't been blogging much at all lately, but if you're a regular reader and still around, expect big changes in December.
One more time for the record. I predict that Republicans will hold both houses of Congress.
--Jason
Posted by JasonColeman at 12:35 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
October 8, 2006
It's long since past the time. . .
That we should just start referring to this as
Look folks, it's time, we've got ideologies out there that are directly opposed to everything the sane people of the world have been working for since the end of the last worldwide conflict. Islamic Fasism and Personality Cult Communism are threats to FREEDOM, LIBERTY, and HUMANITY. It's time to stop pussyfooting around and just start calling this what it is.
Condi needs to get her butt over to China ASAP and get the Chinese to take the role of the Soviets in WW2 and lead on getting North Korea under control, the U.S. and it's allies need to get on the ball with Iran and end that threat sooner rather than later. If Chavez makes a stink, unleash Brazil on him and give them everything they need to finish him off too.
In the modern age, the world seems to have these conflicts every 50 years or so as a sort of re-alignment of mankinds direction forward. No rational person will advocate for Islamic Fascism to become a ruling power for the world, neither will a rational person advocate Personality Cult Communism as a positive way forward. It's time to recognize that certain ideologies are failed ideologies and remove them from the playing field.
I'm going to add to this the Democrats better get on board with being Americans and realize that we've got to end this petty BS and get busy with making the world safe for humankind.
Blockade NK immediately, slap the sanctions on Iran, and let's start getting rid of the nutcases. If the U.N. doesn't want to go the way of the League of Nations in short order, they'd better get on the ball too.
--Jason
Posted by JasonColeman at 10:42 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 5, 2006
Can someone explain this to me. . .
So Bill O'Reilley had this guy on his show named Tyson Vivyan, who claimed to be a former Congressional page who'd also had sexual advances made upon him by Congressman Foley.
Ms. Underestimated, has a link to the video, and lemme add that there are DEFINATELY more reasons to check out her site.
So I was curious about this Vivyan guy, and wanted to see if there were any articles out there with this guy's story.
I had meant to search Google news first, but by accident I just ran a straight Google search on him. Lo and behold. . .
Not a peep. Now that seems VERY VERY VERY strange to me. One would expect there to be at least SOME hits on someone who has done enough in their high school life to merit getting a slot as a page, and certainly SOME of that would be referenced somewhere on the web. Alas, no, it seems this Tyson fella just magically appeared all of the sudden.
Seriously, there should be at least SOMETHING out there with this guys name attached to it. Congressional pages usually have some meritorious service before they become a page, right? Debate Club, Athletics, School Paper, SOMETHING!
Now I'll admit that I also ran a Google News search for the kid, and there were a couple of references, but only to the O'Reilley spot. So what gives? Is this the first guy to be lucky enough to be the only American with absolutely NO REFERENCE to him throughout the world wide web.
Well, I guess there is at least ONE now.
--Jason
PS - Before some leftard or Kos Kids descend upon me and try to paint me as a Foley apologist, lemme just make this perfectly clear. I think Foley acted inappropriately for a Congressman, very inappropriately. I'm glad he did the correct thing and resign immediately when this story popped up. I also feel that if it can be determined that he did in fact break the law, then he should go to jail, preferably under the jail, and not pass go, not collect a Congressional Pension.
Let me also say that this is looking like another RatherGate more and more. However that does NOT excuse Foley's abuse of his position with regard to Congressional pages. If he broke the law, throw the book at him, PERIOD. If he is vindicated of any legal wrongdoing, I still say it's good that he resigned, his actions were not befitting a Congressman.
-JC
UPDATE: From ZERO presence on the net via google to 42,000 plus and growing two days later. Nice PR campaign you created for yourself Tyson. Something tells me we'll be seeing more of Tyson in the future as he parlays this.
Posted by JasonColeman at 2:49 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
October 4, 2006
VDH. . .(a cup o' coffee post)
If you don't read Victor Davis Hanson, you should.
--Jason
Posted by JasonColeman at 11:42 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 2, 2006
Some people wont agree with me. . .
Some people won't agree with me, but I'm pretty sure that I'm right on this one. One day, most probably in my lifetime, there will be a terrorist attack involving a nuclear device, or a rogue state will use a nuclear device as a first strike weapon hoping to bring about a one hit coup de grace.
Some people will completely deny this as an impossibility, they will state that groups capable of producing a nuclear device will understand it's implications and only use such a device as a "deterrent". Others will claim that I am being alarmist and armageddonist, and totally dimiss this idea on that basis alone; without addressing the probability of such an attack, they merely will stick their heads in the sand. Still others will claim that such an event will only occur by the hands of the evil Zionists or equally evil Americans, which is simply ridiculous because neither nation needs a nuke to lay waste to their enemies, both groups can defeat almost any comer with conventional means quite easily from a military standpoint.
There is a sect within Islam that sees the use of a nuclear device as a means to bring about the reappearance of the 12th Imam, who will organize the world along Islamic lines and bring about the Koran's version of Biblical Revelations. There are groups, lets call them Islamists for simplicity, but recognize that they are known also as Islamic Fascists, Islamofascists, or elements of Radical Islam, and some of these groups have openly stated their desire to acquire a nuclear device, or a hybridized device (dirty bomb) for the intent of using it upon the United States, Israel or the nations of Western Europe with the stated purpose of destroying these institutions and jumpstarting the Second Caliphate. Other entities may "pop a nuke" as a last gasp of power concentrated in a select group of insane rulers (North Korea). Then there is the unknown, the threat of tomorrow, the threat we don't see at the moment, but nevertheless grows in dark corners of the world, biding it's time, waiting for the geopolictical climate to be right.
If you sit back and think about it, it's basically inevitable that sometime in the future these weapons will be used. The effect will be great and depending on the target, the results will range from destruction and horror quickly passing and settling into rage and revenge, at the other end of the scale, nations could fall within hours or simply cease to effectively exist (Israel could be an example, so could Great Britain or any other country with a small geographic footprint).
The device will most likely be small, in the kiloton range, not a city killer megaton nuke, but a man-portable "tactical" weapon used deep within a society to produce a profound strategic effect. There may be just one, which will be bad enough to deal with, but there most likely will be more than one, near simultaneously, or in a quick succession of a few days.
Some people will have already stopped reading because they can't handle thinking about such a possibility. I suggest that these people are more likely than not, the same people who would suggest that WE need to change in order to stop THEM from attacking us. That WE cannot fight THEM, because WE cannot change THEM, so WE must change and be kindler, gentler, and more accomodating to those who would wish US dead. To me, this seems like total insanity run amuck. It just doesn't make sense. If WE change, THEY will be emboldened. If WE change, THEY win, and their victory does not ensure our safety, in fact it only assures that another group will arise with another agenda to demand that WE change for THEM.
I don't have any answers, I don't have any program to make this all go away. I can only observe that it will happen, someday. Someone WILL use a nuclear device on a unsuspecting population sometime in the relatively near future. The only suggestion I have is for people to realize that there is a war on, it's a World War, and it's not the Global War on Terror I'm referring to, the GWOT is part of it, but it's more a battle or a theatre than it is the whole war. The war I'm referring to has not yet been named, it's not even realized by most that it's taking place, but it is taking place and it's important that people begin to recognize it.
We are at a unique place in the history of mankind. No longer are we disjointed and separate groups of people separated by trade routes and occasional contact. The entire world has become a community against it's own will. Disparate groups with different worldviews have been thrust together via the Information Age and the bridges between nations and people have been physcally bridged by the culmination of the Industrial Age providing mobility and travel options never before seen in human history.
Some call this a culture war, others call it a clash of civilizations, others call it all manner of things. I prefer to use the term, The Long War, because I don't see any resolution to this war coming any time soon, and by my reckoning, this war has been going on since the late 1940's. That means we're already 60 years in and the war isn't even recognized, to expect that The Long War could last for another 100 years is not unrealistic.
So what is this war all about? In short, this war is about the future of the human race, ALL of the human race. That word ALL is very important, it should be thought about at least a little. ALL of the human race. We are at a convergence of human society where every human on the planet, if he or she so chooses, can interact with almost every other human on the planet through travel and electronic communication. A global consciousness is emerging. Humanity as a whole has entered a NEW infancy, this new infant is taking it's first tenative steps and only beginning to explore it's world, and realize it's potential.
While this war rages on, it will take various forms. Just as World War 2 had smaller, seemingly separate "theatres", this war has component parts that can't properly be called theatres, so lets just call them for the purposes of this discussion "a battle" as opposed to "the war". I recognize that I'm using battle incorrectly, but we just don't have the terminology to describe what is happening yet, we are living it right now, and defining it as we go, which makes the realization of what is happening all the more difficult.
The battle that is the GWOT is a battle of religion, religious wars are common throughout history, and this is another in a long line of religious wars. I believe that this will be the last. Islam is the last "unreformed" universalizing religion. It's highly unlikely that another true religion will arise. Cults will rise and become somewhat legitimate, like those cultist who worship "the envrironment", but these are minor players and not capable or desirous of global war like the Catholics did once and the Islamists do now. This religious war, the GWOT, is one we can fight, and we can win, the endpoint will be the reform of Islam and the rise of Islamic moderates to the positions of power within Islam. Once the moderates gain control of their religion, it's unlikely that it will retain it's extremist appeal for very long, the radicals will be marginalized, and eventually they will fade away. While this might seem a condemnation of the GWOT in favor of an internal Islamic solution, it isn't; the GWOT is a necessary battle, because Islam cannot reform without pressure from the outside, just as the Catholic Church would have never reformed were it not for the Princes of Europe demanding and fighting for it in the Wars of the Reformation.
So we will go forward with the GWOT, we must. I say we in a much larger sense than it is now. The WE in the equasion will grow as more people begin to realize what is at stake and what the other side, the Islamists, are aiming for. The second Caliphate will not rise and any attempt to create it, no matter how severe the attack or action, will be resisted, and as the attacks from THEM increase, the WE component will grow. Eventually the WE's will conquer the THEM's and Islam will reform, it won't end the problem of Islamists, but the threat will be effectively mitigated, and when it gains strength, it will be slapped down hard again, just as Nazism is slapped down when it makes it's periodic resurgences. There is no real threat of a Fourth Reich or a disciple of Hitler arising to take over the world, such a threat would immediately be pounced upon and destroyed if it began to seek conquest of others. Such will be the case when Islamism arises again the future after this battle is won.
Yet The Long War won't be over when Islamism is defeated. Other ideologies will arise or existing ones will decide that the time to strike is at hand. It must be remembered, that it is STILL the goal of Communist China to control the world and bring all of humanity under the banner of Communism. That battle lies ahead. It may be another violent clash, with guns and bombs and death, or it may be a relatively peacefull battle fought in boardrooms and with policy speeches and the will of the masses determining the victor. This battle is coming, we just don't know what shape it will take and whether it will be a HOT part of The Long War, or a COLD part.
Down the road we'll have battles we cannot conceive of now, against enemies we do not know, cannot see and do not suspect malice from, but THEY will challenge the WE and the battle will be fought.
Will The Long War ever end. Yes, it will, but the nature of what the world will be like at the end cannot be forseen, it's simply too far off and to many variables are in the way. What we do know is that it will end one day, and there will be a victor. This planet is simply too small for multiple ideologies and worldviews to exist indefinately. Multi-cuturalism will not be the future of the planet, a single global culture will eventually emerge as transportation and information transfer improves.
We are still in a phase of our development where different groups of people are given different sets of information to base their opinions and actions upon. One day this will not be the place. We are only a few short years away from information access being a uniform global process. Just as fiber replaced copper, WiFi will eventually be replaced by SatFi and any human with a simple device will have access to the same information as every other human with a simple, portable and self-contained device, accessing a global network that cannot be interfered with by local or national governments. If you want to look at the US internetsat, you will be able to, if you want to look at the China internetsat, you will be able to, access points in orbit are coming, and keeping a population in the dark will become impossible. When this occurs, it will be the strength of the ideas and goals of groups that will make them powerful and not merely their access to weapons and their local power over a population.
As transportation evolves, it too will give greater access and greater range to the individual. Highways will be replaced by skyways, and mankind's mobility will both act as a dampening effect and inflamatory effect on the violence and scope of The Long War. Combatants will have greater and greater access to their targets, but those targets will be contaminated more and more by unwanted bystanders. How this will play out cannot be forseen, but transportation will both increase the violence of The Long War and decrease it over time as populations continue to merge and high value single targets become more scarce.
The Long War will determine the future of mankind. Will we take to the the stars seeking out new homes, new science and a greater understanding of the universe? Will we stay earthbound, working like ants to serve the desires of a select few in a Communist utopia? Or will we see a new "religion" preventing us from developing our technology in some warped sense of respect for the planet where we see mass starvations and depopulations before a complete technological collapse that sets us back hundreds or thousands of years because we must not damage our environment for the sake of improving the lives of humans?
The Long War will have an end. There will be an eventual one world culture, there will be one world language, it's inevitable. There will be one world system of government, that too is inevitable. There will be a common set of information and it will be universally accessible, that too is inevitable.
That language does not have to be English, I'd sure like it to be, because I feel that it's got the greatest headstart and would be the most efficient direction to take and retain the most knowledge along the way. That system of government does not have to be Democracy, I'd sure like it to be, because Democracy empowers the individual, and does not reduce man to slave. That set of information does not have to be science and truth, it could be a political information set a la Orwell's 1984, or a religous set that teaches only one fantasy worldview, I'd sure like it to be the science and truth set, and I think the reasons are obvious.
So what is the whole point of this. The point is to realize that things are going to get worse before they get better when it comes to the GWOT, the point is to realize that the GWOT is just a battle, or a theatre, in the larger war for humanity, The Long War, which will determine where we, as a species (think about that: WE, as a SPECIES) decide to go with our opposable thumbs and big brains. The point is for people to realize that we are in a War that we have not yet named, a war that we do not yet see it's full scope, a war that will make past wars seem unimportant and a war that will change the very nature and scope of what is considered humanity.
The point is to hopefully spark other discussions about the future, and how it will be shape by the new interconnected small world we now live in as opposed to the old disconnected large world we inhabited just a few short decades ago. Where once we could have oceans and deserts as barriers, we now have everyone thrown together in one big bowl, and we must hash out our differences and come to a realization of what humanity is and what our purpose will be. Are we to be ants? Are we to be worshippers? Are we to be individuals? What will it mean to be human at the end of The Long War? What will we have to endure to get to that end?
This is survival of the fittest, who will it be? Athens or Sparta? (See the PS below for an explanation of that.)
Comments are welcome and will be responded to.
--Jason
PS, This screed, rant, commentary, post, whatever you want to call it, was sparked by a reading of this fictional piece by Dan Simmons. If anything in this post sparked interest, and even if it did not, I highly suggest you take the time to read the April 2006 Message from Dan. It's interesting, it's thought provoking, it's scary, and it's enlightening, take the time to read it, make the time to read it.
Posted by JasonColeman at 9:50 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 11, 2006
Eine minuten bitte. . .
As we enter this day (I'm sorry, but I can't bring myself to call it an anniversary), that marks the fifth year since the attacks of September 11, 2001; many will have Islamic Terrorism and the greater threat of Islamic Fascism on their minds. This is appropriate, it will be on my mind as well. I just want to put the brakes on a second and remind people that Islamic Fascism is not the only threat we face in the world today.
As we prepare to remember our fallen, North Korea plans to announce to the world that they have indeed created an atomic bomb. Their only possible motivation for this is to blackmail the rest of the world into accepting a regime that starves millions of it's own people intentionally, that imposes an iron fist of state control on a completely opposite end of the scale from the Islamic Fascists.
Now is good time, if you haven't before, to read Bill Whittle's Tribes.
--Jason
Posted by JasonColeman at 12:50 AM
August 22, 2006
Required Viewing. . .
I, a Muslim is a Czech documentary from a series called "infiltrator", it's runs about 30 minutes and is Czech with English subtitles. The documentary uses hidden cameras, microphones and a "potential convert" to Islam to enter Czechoslavakia's Muslim culture.
I believe the program speaks for itself. Watch it now, I'm sure it won't last long on the big public video servers.
--Jason
Posted by JasonColeman at 11:42 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 18, 2006
15 Years Ago Tomorrow. . .
The Soviet Union collapsed under it's own weight, helped along with a shove from one of our nation's greatest Presidents, Ronald Wilson Reagan.
To many, including me, the collapse of the Soviet Union proved the fatal flaws of Communism. The Soviet directed economy was unable to react to local economic crisis and unable to find efficient ways of distributing resources. The simple fact that after decades of Soviet rule, the Communist Party was unable to find a way to feed it's people, provide goods and services and deliver the promise of a better life than that which existed in the West, condemned it to failure.
Gorbachev's policies of glasnost (political openness) and perestroika (economic restructuring), which included an easing of government censorship, exposed the average Soviet citizen to the fact they were far behind the West despite years of government propaganda. Regional economic autonomy led to a rise in regional nationalism and a diminished allegiance to the central government and the Communist party in general. The unintended results of glasnost and perestroika led to uskoreniye (speed-up of economic development) which was unable to counter the economic costs of inflation despite the government's attempts to hide it from the masses. Citizens began to realize that taking control of their own economic destiny (as exemplified by the rapidly expanding black market) led to greater prosperity for the individual, but still didn't match the prosperity of the West.
When they compared themselves to the West, Soviet citizens finally began to realize that they truly were "oppressed". As individual discontent grew, Soviet "states" began to become obstructionist to the Central Government's policies, turning instead to local initiatives and withholding tax revenues from Moscow. As the Politburo's power diminished at the local level, the Parliament (which prior to this period was a largely symbolic body) saw their power and prestige grow.
The Warsaw Pact states, looked upon the weakening power of the Soviet government as an opportunity to escape the Soviet's iron fist, by early 1991 the governments of Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland and Romania had thrown off the yoke and set the stage for a revolution in Soviet Union.
On August 19, 1991 a group of Communist Party hard-liners seized control of the government. The world watched in fascination as the State Emergency Committee placed a vacationing Gorbachev under house arrest and tried to take the Soviet Union back to a period of iron-clad Soviet control. Despite the political power of the Committee's members, which included the KGB Chairman, Internal Affairs Minister and Defense Minister, they were unable to consolidate control as Russian President Boris Yeltsin and members of the Parliament defiantly held the "White House" (Russian Parliament Building) and the citizens of Moscow and Leningrad rallied round the resistance.
Soviet armor arrived on the scene at the White House and promptly defected to Yeltsin's side. Yeltsin's denouncement of the coup via megaphone from the top of a Soviet tank was broadcast to the world and marked the beginning of the end for both the coup and the Soviet Union itself. Commandos dispatched to seize the White House and arrest Yeltsin and leaders of the resistance unanimously refused their orders and stood idly by.
The "Vodka Putsch" collapsed after four days and Gorbachev returned to Moscow. His power was fatally wounded, and in very real terms, Yeltsin was the nation's new leader, if not yet in name. Despite resigning from the Communist Party and the promise to purge Communist Party hardliners from the government, Gorbachev was never able to regain real power. By December, the transformation was complete, all of the Soviet Republics had declared independence and the Soviet Union was no more. Communism was no longer on the march, it was in full retreat.
Fifteen years is a long time on the world political stage. Today a new breed of Communists is organizing in South America, while China's communists are embracing a hybridized free-market system in an attempt to mitigate the inefficiencies of Communist economic policy.
In my view, China and the new Communist states of South America are doomed to failure just as the Soviet Union was. Their hybridization of economic markets into a "free yet directed" economy is merely smoke and mirrors. While such policies may increase the economic prosperity of citizens in the short term, it's this very economic prosperity of individuals which will eventually lead to the collapse of the world's remaining Communist States.
Die-hard leftists and neo-Communists point to Venezeula's apparent success as proof that a Communist state can survive, they also point to China's role as a major industrial produced as an indication that Communism will rise again and be a viable alternative to Democracy and free markets, these are both false beliefs. While Communism can indeed create short term benefits for a people, the inflexible nature of a directed economy can never compete with a free market without crippling government subsidies and false economic props. Likewise the unparalleled capacity of the free market for economic development cannot be matched by centralized planning; it's simply not flexible enough or quick enough to effectively respond to changing market conditions.
Prosperity, which Communism promises, is also Communism's greatest enemy. Prosperity leads to a desire for greater prosperity as individuals realize their potential and seek greater wealth and the comfort and security it provides. The nature of individuals to seek a better life for themselves consistently trumps the misdirection of their economic activity for the support of others. This doesn't mean that people do not have great capacity to help others, but forcing people to give up a portion of their economic prosperity against their will through centralized planning, and forcing people into economic roles they don't wish to take is are untennable positions for a government to take.
Venezeula cripples itself with each move into a directed economy; Citgo (the Venezeulan oil-company) has the potential to be a major player in the world oil economy, in many ways it already is; but the interference of the Central Government in Citgo will lead to it's demise. For any economic entity to succeed, it must be able to recognize and adapt to changes on it's own. Citgo is hampered with a Government that sees it as an unlimited cash cow, while investment in the structures needed to ensure it's viability go ignored and development of new reserves are hampered by the removal of the cash assets needed to ensure viability go to other, unconnected projects. The failure of a Communist State to re-invest in the economic structures that support it is a common theme as managers who have no real hard experience in the industry make decisions from political perspectives rather than empirical economic perspectives.
A similar economic hamstringing is occuring in China, while the Chinese have been very effective in creating a broad based economic engine, it has no depth as critical infrastructure is put into place as window dressing to pay homage to the state rather than put into place to give solid support to China's growing industry. Across China today, there are scores of viable yet abandoned factories from projects which have fallen out of political favor and have their support or even liscense to operate stripped from them for political considerations, causing much needed capital to simply evaporate. As millions of citizens stream into the cities to find work, they are herded like cattle into appaling living quarters and become virtual slaves to the state and its favored industry of the moment.
For sure, there is great economic improvement of the lives of individuals in China, but this improvement is not based on an individuals performance under the whip, but rather his or her loyalty to the party. Businessmen have to constantly balance the needs of their economic activity with the dictates of the state, this leads to the inevitable hiding and hoarding of capital and the development of the black market. This black economy will continue to grow in China just as it did in the Soviet Union. As people begin to rely more and more on the black market and less and less on the state, the state's power will be undermined, and once individuals have tasted the sweetness of the economic apple, they are loath to abandon the flavor for bland handouts of Soylent Green. The Chinese culture historically has produced shrewd economic minds and many would argue that this culture actually supports the Communist system, I beg to differ. While today, Chinese culture independent of the state is complimentary to Communism, it's a certain eventuality that as the masses migrate into the middle class, the dictates of human nature take over, driving the individual to acquire more, want more, and most importantly, want more than the other guy. This desire to not only keep up with the Joneses, but to surpass them will eventually manifest itself in China, and in many ways it already has. As people move up in social and economic status, they demand a share of the political power which governs it. With prosperity comes a desire for more prosperity and as this desire increases, it must be accomodated. Communism by it's very nature, no matter what hybridization you put into it, fails to meet this challenge of the masses for greater and greater economic and political power. Eventually the balance will tip in the favor of the indivual as he (or she, but not in China) gains power and demands more control over his life.
The Chinese will be able to keep the lid on for the foreseeable future, but underneath the facade is a growing middle class, a middle class that will begin to demand protection for it's status and the protection of rights that become a need when wealth is generated. The state can not only content itself with protection of life (security, food, shelter, etc.), it must, if it wishes to survive in a modern economic construct, provide its citizens with protections for liberty and secure the mechanisms necessary for the pursuit of happiness, these latter two philosophic constructs cannot be accomodated in a political system such as Communism. Communism cannot deliver liberty to the populace, because the populace must always remain the property of the state to continue its viability. An individual cannot be considered property and have liberty at the same time, the two concepts are mutually exclusive. The pursuit of happiness means the pursuit of the things you want, not the things the state decides to provide for you, central planning cannot deliver the broad spectrum of goods and services the pursuit of happiness entails. Even if a Communist government were to try to respond to the changing tastes of individuals, it is incapable of responding fast enough or efficient enough to effectively deliver.
[Aside: Before you fire off an email telling me that Chinese citizens are not property, I will address that as follows: If someone (state or individual) tells you where you must live, if you must receive permission to work, if at a moments notice you can be forcibly removed from your home and job to be placed in another home and job not of your choosing, you are in fact property of another, be it individual or state.]
Communism, in a very real way, is slavery. The only difference between a traditional "slave" (as some Muslim communities still practice) and a Communist slave is who holds the whip. It doesn't matter to the slave if the whip is held by an individual or an actor of the state, he is still a slave, and slavery cannot be tolerated.
So on this day, with the anniversay of the collapse of the Soviet Union on the horizon, I urge you, my meager readership to think about the existance of Communist slaves the world over. Realize that our fellow human beings are held in bondage and prevented the very freedoms we all too often take for granted. I urge you not to fear the rise of Communism in South America or it's continued presence in China, Cuba and N. Korea, instead I urge you to despise it as the citizens of the Soviet Union came to. Recognize that "Che worship" is the worship of oppressors and those that would enslave other men to their will, to their dictates. The concept that a state can make better decisions for an individual is an truly evil concept. To deny an individual the control of their own destiny is to encourage evil in the world. To fail to support Democracy is to support the imposition of another's will on the individual.
As we remember the collapse of the Soviet Union, we must turn our attention to the other Evil Empires emerging. We must, at every turn do whatever we can to encourage dissent and rebellion in those areas of the world where an individual is stripped of his individual right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We must expose the man behind the curtain of Communist regimes and point out their failings at every turn, as loudly as we can so that the oppressed of the world know that we support them in their natural quest for freedom and liberty. We cannot continue to stand idly by while more and more people fall under the control of their "betters", for the concept of "betters" does not exist in a world where all men are created equal.
As we remember the collapse of the Soviet Union, we must look forward to the disintegration of Communism worldwide; in some cases this means we must destabilize those nations which oppress their citizens, in others it means we must "cook" their economy, drive it to a fever pitch where the ability of the state to control it collapses, in others we will have to act to remove regimes that are bent on oppression and where starvation is considered a means of control, in all, we must reject the tennents of Communism and do our best to bring about it's eventual demise.
This is what we should think about as we remember the collapse of the Soviet Union. It was a victory over Communism surely, but it was only one battle, albeit a major one, but the war against Communism and for the freedom of mankind is far from over.
--Jason
UPDATE: Welcome Ace of Spades HQ readers, please feel free to take a look around, and thank you for taking the time to give my words a brief bit of your attention.
MAJOR UPDATE: Just a few hours after I posted this, Bloomberg reports that the last Soviet Premier/Dictator, Mikhail Gorbachev, praises Hillary Clinton. If that's not telling, I'm not sure what is.
There are those that would look favorably on Gorbachev, I do not. While his policies led to the eventual fall of the Soviet Union, don't think for a second that Gorbachev was anti-Communist, he wasn't. The collapse wasn't an intended outcome of Gorbachev's polices; the intent of his policy was to stave off the economic and political collapse of the Soviet regime. He would have been more than happy to serve out his time as a Soviet Premier / Dictator for Life, thankfully, the world had different plans.
-JC
Posted by JasonColeman at 9:33 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
August 14, 2006
How did this guy ever become a Congressman. . .
Via Newsbusters:
Congress' village idiot, Charlie Rangel said on MSNBC's Hardball:
"You take Islamic and you call them fascists, you call them radical. You never called Hitler a Christian fascist. This is insulting to an entire religion."
You're right Charlie, we didn't call him a Christian fascist. We called him THE Nazi Fascist. Hitler was a Catholic apostate. As such, he could hardly be called a Christian. In fact, Hitler's mouthpiece, Goebbels, said of Hitler:
"The Fuhrer is deeply religious, though completely anti-Christian. He views Christianity as a symptom of decay. Rightly so. It is a branch of the Jewish race... Both [Judaism and Christianity] have no point of contact to the animal element, and thus, in the end, they will be destroyed."
That's why no one called him a Christian fascist, Charlie. Germany was Hitler's religion, he abandoned Catholicism and Christianity and clamped down hard on the The Church and churches of Germany who put God-constructs first and Germany-second.
We didn't call him a Christian fascist because he wasn't trying to impose a Christian belief system on people (as Islamist fascists DO wish to impose Islam). He DID impose the Nazi belief system on people and that's why we DID and DO, call Hitler, a Nazi fascist.
This is just one in a long list of completely stupid and off the wall things Rangel has said and done, including (but certainly not limited to) sponsoring a bill calling for a draft and then voting against his own bill.
It just amazes me that this IDIOT is a United States Congressman.
--Jason
NOTE: Comments are closed due to spambots. If you have a comment related to this entry and wish to have it published here, send it to comments -AT- jasoncoleman -dot- com.
Posted by JasonColeman at 12:41 AM | Comments (9)
August 9, 2006
More thoughts on Lieberman. . .
How Joe Lieberman's political future shapes out could very well shape the destiny of the national political scene.
Lieberman has an opportunity here to find the center ground of American politics. Americans are used to the two-party system, but they aren't THAT used to it that a third cannot emerge. Various constituencies have made a play for the center in the past and have even had success at the local and state level. Yet the development of a viable third party has eluded us. Now we have a viable chance to see a Party evolve around Joe Lieberman and his ousting from the Democrat party WHILE A SITTING SENATOR.
Make no mistake, Lieberman was kicked out of the Democrat Party. He didn't simply lose an election and get pushed to the back of the line, the Democrat Party machine itself worked to oust Lieberman. The tools of the Party were applied to one of their own with malicious intent. This move will seriously anger many moderate Democrats and they very well could jump ship and follow Joe's lead in national politics.
The Democrats will be forced to fight Joe and fight him hard. They can't afford to have Lamont win the Democrat primary, ousting Lieberman, and then have Joe come deliver a knockout in the second round. Lieberman wouldn't just be taking down Lamont, he'd be taking down the Democrat Political Party Machinery. A Lamont loss can only bring about a total implosion of the Democrat Party for it to survive. A Democrat Party trying to function mass appeal party needs credibility in their activities. With this ousting of a sitting party Senator and then the loss of the seat as well, the Dems will have ZERO credibility as a viable party for governance.
If Lieberman can harness his power right now, he can build an institution and shape the face of American Politics for decades to come. Joe Lieberman could coin the Independent-Democrat Party and embrace the former ideals of the Party of Jackson and abandon the far left. Many members of the center-right would flock to him in droves.
If Joe holds his seat in spite of the Democrats, he will become one of the most powerful political figures in the current scene. He will represent the will of the people rather than the will of the party. If, and this is a big if, he can listen to the will of the people and build their trust quickly as the leader of a viable Third, the Democrats will see their power wane further in '08 as the grassroots truely comes from the ground up and fields a number of Independent-Democrat candidates in blue states. Who, if they do emerge, will win handily against Democrat establishment opponents.
I don't see a Lieberman / Libertarian alliance, so there isn't really a ready made constituency for Lieberman to tap. To build a third he would have to start basically from scratch, but it has been done before and today the tools for outreach and organization are more effective than ever before.
I would have to give serious consideration to a third party, not because I'm unhappy with the Republicans, but because they don't fit my total bill, there's always room for improvement, there just aren't many options out there.
--Jason
Posted by JasonColeman at 9:00 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Where's the outrage, where's the congressional hearings. . .
With each round of oil company quarterly earnings reports of late, we've had cacophony of left-leaning morons call for Congressional investigation and calls for windfall profit taxes.
Now, Disney posts profits for the quarter of over a billion dollars and a profit margin of 39%.
Where's the outrage? Where are the calls for Congressional hearings? Where are the calls for investigation of movie ticket price gouging? Isn't this level of profit simply obscene to the Kennedy's and Kerry's of the world?
--Jason
Posted by JasonColeman at 8:21 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 19, 2006
Artur Davis issues a statement. . .
Background for this post -- Wow, look at what these "Congresspeople" actually voted AGAINST!
Over the weekend, Congressman Artur Davis (D-AL-7th) released a statement regarding his vote on the Iraq War Resolution from last week:
FROM THE OFFICE OF
Congressman Artur Davis
7th Congressional District of Alabama
208 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515-0107WASHINGTON - U.S. Representative Artur Davis offered the following statement concerning today's vote on the Iraq resolution.
"There are parts of the Iraq resolution that I fully support; I certainly salute the valor of our soldiers and the Iraqi people. I continue to believe it is unwise to announce to the enemy a date for withdrawal. I also recognize our genuine successes in Iraq, from the capture of Saddam Hussein to the killing of murderers like Al-Zarqawi.
But I could not support a resolution whose main purpose is to endorse the Bush Administration's policy of a continuing commitment to a large-scale troop presence in Iraq. That policy has cost us approximately 2,500 American lives, while still failing to stop the violent insurgency that has killed tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians. Our military should begin the process of transferring the overwhelming load of our responsibilities to the Iraqi security forces, and our new emphasis should be on training and modernizing those forces as best as possible.
As much as we desire a better future for the Iraqi people, we have sacrificed too many of our young people for the dubious purpose of securing another country's political stability. Whether Iraq can emerge as a functioning democracy is a test for the Iraqi people and for the tolerance of their competing religious faiths. It is the Iraqi people, and not our soldiers, who will determine Iraq's destiny. "
I appreciate Representative Davis issuing the statement, even if I completely disagree with his suppositions and conclusions. The text of the resolution is here, and for the record, the roll call is here. If you read the Resolution, you'll see that it's extremely straightforward and simple. Representative Davis has chosen to read more into the Resolution than there is, he's also chosen to side with a national political party over his constitutents. Representative Davis' district is overwhelmingly supportive of the Global War on Terror and also the localized battle of the Mission in Iraq.
In his statement, Davis dances around, but in effect, by his vote, he has dismissed the sacrifices of our soldiers, shown a disdain for freedom and democracy taking hold in Iraq and Representative Davis has also contradicted what he sees at the "purpose" of the resolution. I could comment more, but I'll leave that to you to decide for yourself, read the Resolution, then read Davis' statement, the two don't seem to connect.
Representative Davis, you have placed your partisanship above our soldiers and our mission, I suggest that you are in effect a declared enemy of our troops and their mission. You sir, should be ashamed, and more importantly, your constituents should be ashamed of you.
--Jason
P.S. I reserve the right to revisit Davis' statement later, for now I just don't have the time. I'll end for now by suggesting that we all should be grateful that Davis and his like weren't in Congress for the rebuilding of Germany, Japan and Korea. Perhaps Davis just doesn't feel the Iraqis don't deserve the same protections and nurturing of their democracy as the Germans, Japanese, Koreans and even Afghans, I wonder why?
Posted by JasonColeman at 8:09 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 16, 2006
Wow, look at what these "Congresspeople" actually voted AGAINST. . .
The House just voted on HR 861 (Iraq War Resolution). As expected, the vote went largely along party lines. More Dems came out as opposing the Resolution than did Senators in a similar resolution yesterday.
So let's take a look quickly at what they actually voted against.
1. Honoring all those Americans who have taken an active part in the Global War on Terror, whether as first responders portecting the homeland, as servicememebers overseas, as diplomats and intelligence officers, or in other roles.
153 MEMBERS OF CONGRESS VOTED AGAINST HONORING THESE AMERICANS!
2. Honoring the sacrifices of the United States Armed Forces and of partners in the Coalitiion, and of the Iraqis and Afghans who fight alongside them, especially those who have fallen or been wounded in the struggle, and honors as well the sacrifices of their families and of others who risk their lives to help defend freedom.
153 MEMBERS OF CONGRESS VOTED AGAINST HONORING THE SACRIFICES OF THE U.S. ARMED FORCES, THEIR COALITION PARTNERS, THE IRAQIS AND AFGHANIS, ESPECIALLY THE FALLEN, WOUNDED AND THEIR FAMILIES!
3. Declaring that it is not in the national security interest of the United States to set an arbitrary date for the withdrawal or redeployment of United States Armed Forces from Iraq
153 MEMBERS OF CONGRESS APPARENTLY FEEL THAT CUTTING AND RUNNING (AND ANNOUNCING IT IN ADVANCE SO THE ENEMY CAN PREPARE) IS IN THE INTERST OF THE SECURITY OF THE UNITED STATES!
4. Declaring that the United States is committed to the completion of the mission to create a sovereign, free secure and united Iraq.
153 MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ARE NOT COMMITTED TO COMPLETING THE MISSION, ARE NOT COMMITTED TO FREEDOM AND SECURITY FOR HUMAN BEINGS IN IRAQ!
5. Congratualtes Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki and the Iraqi people on the courage they have shown by participating in increasing millions, in the elections of 2005 and on the formation of the first government under Iraq's new constitiution.
153 MEMBERS OF CONGRESS APPARENTLY FEEL THAT MILLIONS OF PEOPLE VOTING IN FREE AND OPEN ELECTIONS ARE NOT TO BE CONGRATULATED OR FOR DOING SO IN THE FACE OF THE IMMINENT DANGER TO THEIR PERSONS! THESE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS HAVE TURNED LITERALLY AGAINST DEMOCRACY!
6. Calls upon the nation of the world to promote global peace and security by standing with the United States and other Coalition partners to support the efforts of the Iraqi and Afghan people to live in freedom.
153 MEMBERS OF CONGRESS HAVE GONE ON THE RECORD AS NOT SUPPORTING GLOBAL PEACE AND SECURITY AND HAVE VOTED AGAINST SUPPORTING FREEDOM FOR THE IRAQI AND AFGHAN PEOPLE!
7. Declares that the United States will prevail in the Global War on Terror, the noble struggle to protect freedom from the terrorist adversary.
153 MEMBERS OF CONGRESS HAVE DECLARED THAT THE U.S. SHOULD FAIL IN THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR AND THAT THE STRUGGLE TO PROTECT FREEDOM FROM TERRORISTS IS IGNOBLE!
Can we question their patriotism NOW!!!!
The entire text of the resolution is here.
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These members of Congress have shown with this vote that they are in fact enemies of freedom, democracy and United States and her national security. Instead of siding for freedom, democracy and the United States, they have openly sided with the terrorists who wish to deny freedom, deny democracy and who align themselves against the United States.
I say that these 153 "members of congress" have infact declared themselves enemies of the United States and enemies of freedom and democracy.
I'll post the role call vote when it's released, so we all can know exactly who makes up the fifth column in the United States Congress.
Thank goodness these idiots weren't around for World War 2. Du weißt doch, dass.
--Jason
UPDATE: The roll call is here. Are any of these fifth columnists your represenative?
UPDATE 2: For a little local flavor, I decided to take a look at the votes of Alabama Representatives on this issue. All were in favor of the resolution except two. Artur Davis (D - 7th) voted against, and Spencer Bacchus (R - 6th) did not have a vote recorded. I've contacted Bacchus' office to inquire if A) the representative was in the District (and he is) and B) why was he not present for this vote? I'm awaiting a response from his office. Representative Davis's office in Birmingham was unaware of the Iraq War Resolution vote, they contacted the legislative aide in D.C. for me and responded that they do not have a statement at this time, however, they'll get back to me with an explanation of the Representative's vote against the resolution. A few short minutes later, someone from the Representative's office took a look at this post, I wonder if they'll still get back to me with an explanation of his vote.
I'll post any responses from Bacchus or Davis that I receive.
-JC
UPDATE 3: I just spoke with Representative Bacchus' Chief of Staff Larry Lavender who related that Bacchus was present for the majority of the debate on the Resolution but was unable to stay for the vote as he needed to travel back to Alabama to attend his former Marine son's wedding. The Congressman has drafted a statement of support for the Resolution and will have his support entered into the Congressional Record.
Still waiting for comment from Davis.
UPDATE 4: Representative Davis has issued a statement.
-JC
Posted by JasonColeman at 10:08 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 13, 2006
The media. . . better late than never. . .
Seems that the media is finally getting around to taking offense at the "Hodji Girl" (or "Hadji Girl") video I posted back in March.
Here's my