Give credit where credit is due.  Kudos for NBC for airing this point of view from the good guys...
Troops RESPOND TO CRITICISM OF THE WAR.

You see folks, even regular guys who don't have a post grad degree in foreigh relations or military history can recognize the self contradicting absurdity of supporting the troops but not the mission. 

And let's not forget this is the same bunch John Kerry implied were dummies and Charlie Rangel implied were losers. 
But they support the troops! 

Here is another installment form my buddy Larry serving in Iraq.   Wish him and his fellow airmen the best.  Also a hearty warm welcome to all the friends and rellies Larry directed here.  Enjoy your visit and feel free to comment.  

It's really ironic and truly a humbling experience  to have Larry thank me for posting his news.  The debt of gratitude I, and all of us, owe Mr Semann and his comrades in arms,  pale so much in comparison to this small favor it's embarrassing.  But anyway...

    I truly wish there was more to update on my situation here, however we are still in flux as we wait for our command (and other Army units) to organize so we can be put into our support team, and thus finally get to work.  Needless to say I, as well as my fellow airmen that I traveled with are anxious to get to work and hopefully make an impact.

  We did get, albeit a small opportunity, to meet with some of the other teams here in the area, whom perform similar duties.  As we made our way around the massive Victory Base Complex I could not help but notice the numerous patrol convoys of up armored humvees and other armored tactical vehicles making there way through the area. 

Every once in while I'd lock the sun glassed eyes of the occasional 50 cal or 240B gunner peering through the turret.  I must add I do what I can to remain stone faced.  These are the young brave men going outside the wire daily.  I am in total awe of them, they face death every day.

I can hope my work provides the support they need for their dangerous tasks.  These young men and women are doing their jobs.  They are not seeking fame, nor fortune, they just want to be able to finish what needs to be done.  They are performing extremely dangerous and filthy tasks, and witnessing unimaginable evil, but they are doing it with the utmost professionalism.

When I went through Army combat skills training I honestly believed I was being trained more as a policeman than a combative, which is what I believe may be another obstacle these young soldiers and marines face.  With America's human rights sensitivities and our ability to strike with unbelievable precision I learned through training that much of our heavier more destructive weapons need approval for engagement from the highest level in theater.

Therefore, the best support many back in the States could offer my fellow soldiers, airmen, marines, sailors, and guardsmen is to continue letting us do our jobs!  It really is as simple as that.

I would like to thank Frank for posting my rants, and I hope to have more to write about soon.  On behalf of my brothers and sisters in arms we are genuinely thankful for all of your love and support.  We will not give up the fight.

Sincerely,

Lawrence B. Semann, SrA USAF

Emphasis mine, only to underscore a point I made previously, which is:
 The biggest factor prolonging this conflict is our own restraint.

This, from Senator Feingold, who resembles old TV comic Soupy Sales, in looks not intellect, where he doesn't even come close.

"Congress holds the power of the purse and if the president continues to advance his failed Iraq policy, we have the responsibility to use that power to safely redeploy our troops from Iraq," Feingold said in a statement released by his office on Thursday. "I will soon be introducing legislation to use the power of the purse to end what is clearly one of the greatest mistakes in the history of the nation's foreign policy."

Translation:
"Clearly, President Bush is in this thing to win.  It would be the biggest American victory since World War II and since Bush is not  one of us, we simply can't allow that to happen.  For us Democrats to remain true to our mission of destroying this Presidency Iraq must fail.  In defunding our troops we get the double whammy of insuring our defeat and making Bush look bad.  

You can keep your non-binding resolutions, but I'm here to lose dammnit, and this is the most sure way to achieve that goal.  Besides, what's a few more dead soldiers compared to the media attention I'm gonna get?  My cheesehead constituents gotta know I'm out here doing the maverick thing so get the he11 outta my way, I think I just saw Chris Matthews..."

Like many of you I am watching in disbelief as nutless Repblicans run for cover on the mistaken assumption that the reason they had their asses handed to them in November was mostly a repudiation of the war. 

Of all the nasty fallout from this debate perhaps the worst is to watch self described patriots trump principle with self-importance and self preservation.  It is, I am afraid, the sort of display that keeps genuinely good people from running for office.  I mean think about it.  You already feel like you need a shower just listening to them.  How awful would it be to actually rub shoulders.  Ick.

In the meantime Hugh Hewitt and those who make it a point to actually inform themselves have sponsored a pledge, as have I.   If you agree that winning is preferable to losing you should too. 

It is a shot across the bow to wobbly Republicans advising that their siding with Dems in any resolution that undermines the mission and emboldens the enemy will eliminate the ppossibility of any support, financial or otherwise, in  their re-election. 

In other words if you work  toward defeat in Iraq, we'll work toward yours at election time. 

Sometimes you have to club a donkey between the ears to get his attention.  I guess it takes a considerably bigger stick for elephants.  Hopefully  this is the club for the job.    

Sign the pledge Right here. Do it.

That is all.

Now this wouldn't be much of a political blog if I didn't comment on the State fo The Union Speech last night would it?   I had feared watching would be tantamount to being a traffic gaper trying to look into an ambulance at a roadside accident but was pleasantly surprised.  Not that it will change any minds at this stage but it was one of his better SOTU addresses.  I was not anticipating a home run by any stretch, probably more of bunt or walk, but it turned out to be solid double. 

Best line of the night.  "Whatever you voted for, it wasn't failure."

And how about the Democrat response?  Fairly well written but possibly sounded better than it was written because of the smooth delivery.  Being against a "precipitous pullout" while advocating a "conclusion in short order" is , to put it mildly, self contradictory gibberish, but it does sound like something that could make sense to a Democrat.  They do have the market cornered on that nuanced thinking stuff after all.  

Content: just another version of the same old Democrat talking points:
1) We don't like how you got us into this war.  (even though we voted for it)
2) We don't like how you are conducting this war. 
3) We don't like the changes you offered for conducting it differently. 
4) But we support the troops! 

The subliminal message: Listen here W, if you think that just because we now have some power we will actually use it to help achieve a victory that might make you look good you are as dumb as our lapdog press has everyone believing you are.

The truth is our real goal is to lose this sucker as fast as possible so the stupid electorate has enough time to forget our spinelessness before the next election.  

Make no mistake you lame duck Texan Twit, mass slaughter on the streets of Baghdad,  regional destabilization in the mideast, the resulting economic devastation both here and worldwide, a nuclear Iran, increased terrorist attacks here at home, an even worse standing in the world opinion, are all reasonable prices we are perfectly willing to pay toward our success in destroying your Presidency - - which you stole in the first place. 

For us to win you have to lose.  If America has to lose in the process that's ok by us because if  we are not in charge America isn't that great anyway.  

And don't  you dare question our patriotism! 

Found this one in my drafts folder.  Thought I already posted.  A little late but pertinent nonetheless...

Last August in my McCain: Maybe For Thee But Not For Me post I said this:

So far I like what I see in Mitt Romney but thats probably because he has such an abundance of what W lacks - - charisma.  Tall, very good, i.e. presidential, looking, extremely articulate, knowledgeable, executive experience in both private and public sectors.

Based on recent events in the Romney campaign my political radar appears to be in tact.  Raising 6.5 million in a one day phone bank?  Even Patrick Hynes, blogger at Ankle Biting Pundits, one of my daily visits, who has McCain as a client by the way, gives grudging praise for the stunt, if not the actual mechanics of the operation.  When the worst thing McCains chief online strategist can say is that it could have done less expensively you know they are concerned.  

Mr Hynes never lets any news unflattering to Romney go without a battering headline, which is also telling.  Sorry Mr.Hynes, I agree with a lot of your politics but you picked the wrong horse this time. You might also do well to remember the rule about being for something rather than against something else.  When the best response you have is negative, especially this early in the race, it makes you look scared.   Given the inevitability of side by side comparisons between McCain and Romney, you ought to be.

There will be more, by people smarter than me, but here is my quick rundown of why Romney (contrary to meaningless polls 21 months before the election) has the edge on McCain:

Style: Bright, engaging, physically impressive, articulate.  As they might say in Boston the dude is wicked charismatic.  McCain has a charisma too but it's bourn more of respect than personality.  On a scale of 1 to 10 ranking charisma it's Romney- 9.5, McCain - 5, on his best day.  The age factor, though less important to me, favors Romney.  I am unsure of the exact age but McCain looks all of his 70 plus years while Romney seems young for his age.  If the difference isn't 20 years it still looks it, and in this media age, that matters.

Substance: Both resume's are impressive but in different ways.  While McCains military background may offer some advantage only Romney has executive experience, in both public and private sectors.  McCain is only of 100 Senators, virtually all of which consider themselves Presidential timbre - - and they are all wrong.  Although both qualities are necessary, I think the electorate prefers a leader to a dealmaker.  Romney will enjoy the same advantage over Clinton, Obama, or Edwards.    
  
The "conservative" thing: I put quotes around conservative because its definition is in flux.  From where I sit conservative is just something candidates, from both sides, pretend to be to get elected.  To me Romney's placating social conservatives for the primary simply demonstrates his pragmatism just like he did in saying what was necessary to get elected in a socially liberal state like Massachusetts. Those equating historic campaign rhetoric with actual governing principles cannot be taken seriously.  The real proof is in what the candidates did - - not what he said.  

Romney can destroy McCain in a conservatism dual with these 4 words: McCain- Feingold, McCain-Kennedy.  

As I pointed out to my congressman once, campaign promises are a dime a dozen, but an oath is something altogether different.  With McCain Feingold, the Arizona maverick broke his oath to uphold protect and defend the constitution, and in so doing disqualified himself for any higher office..  Nuf said.

McCains tendency to let his maverick status trump conservatism will, and should, cost him.  If you get into bed with uberlefty whores chances are you won't come out clean.  Those 2 pieces of legislation are the syphilis and gonnarhea of those Senatorial hook-ups.

Electabilty:
A lot of Romney's appeal will be that he is NOT a Washington insider while McCain is the pentultimate beltway boy.  Romney comes from 2 blue states, Massachusetts where he was Governor, and Michigan where his Dad was Governor.  McCain, from ruby red Arizona, which likely will vote for whoever wins the GOP nomination.  Advantage Romney.

The religion thing:
If it was a problem overcome by Kennedy, and not a problem for his father, all the way back in the 60's, why should it should it be a problem in 2006?  Truth is, it isn't, except for opponents who recognize his strength and are serving up this red herring.  If ones religion is in play why don't we even know what McCain's is?  Couldn't name it.  Couldn't care less. I am thinking I am fairly representative on this. And the Democrats have absolutely no standing on the issue, I mean c'mon, Minnesota Democrats elected a fargin Muslim!   

Besides, Democrats will be in no position to cast aspersions on someones religion during their self -congratulatory multicultural orgasm over nominating the first black or female.  

The other thing boding well for Romney is the fear he strikes in his opponents.  The knives came out  sharp and flailing by the Boston Globe.  So to me, he's the one to watch.


    

You've probably heard by now that some mathmetician with too much time on his hands calculated that yesterday was the gloomiest day of the year.  Among the myriad factors was Christmas bills due and taxebills looming on the horizon, weather, etc. etc.

I was going to write this off as just more academic mental masterbation until my buudy Kenny M sent along the following.  Well, if I wasn't depressed before that certainly did it .

WHY I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER! :
The Democrats new promise

"A New Direction For America".

The stock market is at a new all-time high and America 's 401K's are back. A
new direction from there means, what?

Unemployment is at 25 year lows.
A new direction from there means, what?

Oil prices are plummeting.
A new direction from there means, what?

Taxes are at 20 year lows.
A new direction from there means, what?

Federal tax revenues are at all-time highs.
A new direction from there means, what?

The Federal deficit is down almost 50%, just as predicted over last year. A
new direction from there means what?

Home valuations are up 200% over the past 3.5 years.
A new direction from there means, what?

Inflation is in check, hovering at 20 year lows.
A new direction from there means, what?

Not a single terrorist attack on US soil since 9/11/01.
A new direction from there means, what?

Osama bin Laden is living under a  rock in a dark cave, having not surfaced
in years, if he's alive at all, while 95% of Al Queda's top dogs are either
dead or in custody, cooperating with US Intel. A new direction from there
means, what?

Several major terrorist attacks already thwarted by US and British Intel,
including the recent planned attack involving 10 Jumbo Jets being exploded
in mid-air over major US cities in order to celebrate the anniversary of the
9/11/01 attacks. A new direction from there means, what?

Just as President Bush foretold us on a number of occasions, Iraq was to be
made "ground zero" for the war on terrorism -- and just as President Bush
said they would, terrorist cells from all over the region are arriving from
the shadows of their hiding places and flooding into Iraq in order to get
their fac es blown off by US Marines rather than boarding planes and heading
to the United States to wage war on us here. A new direction from there
means, what?

Now let me see, do I have this right?

I can expect:

The economy to go South.

Illegals to go North.

Taxes to go Up.

Employment to go Down.

Terrorism to come In.

Tax breaks to go Out.

Social Security to go away.

Health Care to go the same way gas prices have gone.

But what the heck!

I can gain comfort by knowing that Nancy P., Hillary C., John K., Edward K.,
Howard D., Harry R. and Obama have worked hard to create;

A comprehensive National Security Plan,

Health Care Plan,

Immigration Reform Plan,

Gay Rights Plan,

Same Sex Marriage Plan,

Abortion On Demand Plan,

Tolerance of Everyone and Everything Plan,

How to Return all Troops to the U.S. in The Next Six Months Plan,

A Get Tough Plan, adapted from the French Plan by the same name and a How
Everyone Can Become as Wealthy as We Are Plan.

I forgot the No More Katrina Storm Plan.

Now I know why I feel good after the elections. I am going to be able to
sleep so much better at nights knowing these dedicated politicians are
thinking of me and my welfare.

 A few years ago I attended a few Townhall Town Meeting here in the Milwaukee area.  Although the meetings are long since past a couple of good friendships resulted.  One such friendship was with Larry Seman, a student at the time who eneded up helping me in my unsuccessful run for County Supervisor.  The Winter of 2004 seems so  long ago when we trapsed through all sorts of nasty weather to get signatures, drop off brochures and shake hands.

At the time Larry was waiting on word about his enlistment in the Air Force.  I remember it well because he announced his acceptance at a North Milwaukee County GOP meeting we attended together.

Larry has gone through basic and other training and is now stationed in Baghdad.  He has agreed to allow me to post his e-mails. 
Here is his first message.  

There is not much to tell as of now, especialy from the secure confines of Victory Base Complex. The small group I am with and I have not been officialy put to work on our duties as of yet, so we're biding our time learning our way around the complex, site seeing Sadam's unbelievable former infrastructure, and finalizing our in-processing unit.  We did hear the distant explosions of yesterdays sectarian attack which killed about 100 civilians. What I have witnessed in this past week is how busy it is here. The breaks in aircraft traffic usually only last about 5 to 10 minutes.  Needless to say everyone here is working extremely hard. 


Please add Larry to your thougts and prayers along with the other hero soldiers. 
 

  

I caught a snippet of Michigan's John Conyers on c-span last night, before I watched the incredible second episode of 24.  Anyway, he was on one of his typical lib rants decrying inequality as part of M.L. King Day festivities. 

He has always annoyed me because his voice reminds me of that slow witted puma that Bugs Bunny used to beat up on. Remember? how many lumps would you like with that?  Oh, three or four, and then Bugs would commence beating him over the head until the lumps appeared.   Mel Blanc was a genius.    

The thing is though, after hearing Conyers talk, I think  the comparison is unfair to the puma.  Of course,  no Democrat/socialist  lamentation would be complete without whining about the lack of universal health care.

To paraphrase his quote:  "We are the only advanced nation in the world without universal health care" .  

This is exactly the kind of economic disconnect in D.C. that scares the bejeebers out of me, especially on that side of the aisle. 

Clearly he believes that our advanced status and our lack of universal health care are somehow contradictory when in fact they are complimentary.  We are advanced not in spite of, but because of,  the lack of universal health care.  We are the economic engine of the world precisely because we have managed, so far, to refrain from nationalizing that particular massive swath of our economy.  

The Gipper had a great quote: "A socialist is someone who read Marx - - a Capitalist is someone who understood it".

Not only are we advanced, but the most advanced nation, on earth, ever,  period..  So advanced that second place isn't even close.  But you know one major difference between 1st and 2nd place?  You guessed it, first place is the one without universal health care.  Coincidence?  I don't think so.

You like irony?   Try this: do you know one of the main factors contributing to our advancement?  You guessed it again!  Our health care system, also the envy of the world!  If the Dems get their way it will be a catastrophic two for one.  Universal health care will compromise both our top economic and top medical ranking in one fell swoop.  But that matters not at all because they will have accomplished their ultimate goal - -  an entire population utterly dependant on government, every Marxists dream.  

Yeah, that government, the one that was asleep at the switch prior to 911, completely fumbled prewar intelligence in Iraq, still hasn't made much of a dent in the aftermath of Katrina,  only jockeys for political advantage while social security goes bankrupt, and well,  you get the point.  

Show me somebody who wants their health care in those hands and I'll show you someone who makes John Conyers look like a genius.

      
  

 

Appears my friend Mr Z. is not alone in his assessment of the new speaker.   

hat tip to Instapundit.. for this link

PELOSI'S APPROVAL RATING: lower than Bush's? You wouldn't know that from the press coverage.

No.  Really?

I have thought all along she was nothing more than a liberal empty pant suit.  Now, as I have stated below, we shall see.  As a feminist, I hold to the radical notion that ideas are inherently gender neutral, that is to say, the calibre of the thought has nothing to do with the genatalia of its purveyor.  

The vacuity of her character will be in direct proportion to her flare for the dramatic.  While some oohed and aahhed at the prosepct of a woman 3rd in line to the presidency some of us were disgusted by her exploiting her own offspring for photo opps.  The irresistable images of John John and Caroline are permantely etched on the Amercian psyche and any opportunity to conjure them for political effect will be exploited.

Like Hollywood, Democrats keep on returning the same old formulas to pacify their constituencies.   It is often hard to distinguish reality from perception, but even more so when the politican involved is from California, birthplace of Mickey Mouse (no offense intended Mr Mouse, the new speaker has long way to go to reach your level of respectability) home of Dreamworks, Disney World, Hollywood and an entire industry dedicated to conflating the two. . .

I have always said poltics is nothing more than theater.  There are some good actors, and some bad actors, some tragedy, some comedy, and like it or not, the show always goes on.  Problem is it is 2 things reagualr theater is not, mandatory, that is if you insist on living here, and expensive, in which case the price paid for poor production is usually freedom.


  

Man, I love James Lileks, his writing that is.  With nuggets like this, it's impossible not to...

In the end, however, he had but one
neck to give for his country, and he proved that no man is above
the law. Especially the one concerning gravity.

A good friend recently e-mailed concerned about the end of the world as we know it because Nancy Pelosi is now Speaker of the House.   My response was one of hope with advice to put faith in the notion that the country is too great for temporary leaders to destroy it.  

That proved to be the case with the game of baseball when it was going through some hard times a few years back and is currently the case with the Catholic Church and their pedophile problem.  In baseball, even greedy players and exploitive owners couldn't diminish the beauty of the game itself.   The Catholic conundrum will be more difficult but it too will survive because the strength and history of the institution is greater than that of its current leadership.  

I was reminded of the old saying:  "put up or shut up", a statement often found toward the end of an argument when someone is fed up with endless complaining and fianally challenges the critics to offer viable solutions or just STFU. The November election was the end of the argument.   The adage may not be directly applicable to the newly forged Dem leadership because they have demonstrated, tirelessly, tediously, condescendingly, and conclusively, that they have no ability, inclination, or capacity to shut up. 

Fine, I will grant expecting a politician to shut up is as fruitfless as expecting them to be honest but now that they are in charge and can't shut up - - let's see what they put up. 

For starters they are backing away from campaign promises faster than a morning escape from a bar time hook up.   It is always amazing how different someone looks in the light of day.

First, while campaigning on comity, cooperation, cohesiveness, and all those other co words, the first order of business was to ban Republican amendments to any new bills. And in support of this move we get the classic infantile argument heard in preschools every day : "they did it first".  Right in character maybe, but not exactly a confidence builder. 

Second, they were all for adopting the 911 commission recommendations in toto on the campaign trail but now that they have the reins of power they suddenly find the recommendation concerning congressional oversight wanting, and therefore disposable. Odd, or predictable maybe, how the one idea giving them more responsibility is the one they discard first.  Such is the composition of the Democrat spine.    

The country is strong enough to survive the 110th congress.  We will however, have to bear them being themselves to its temporary detriment before we can get stronger.   It's been worse but probably not in more tenuous times.   That's the scary part.  Much as I hate to admit it I can only hope I was wrong about the consequences of their leadership, but to be wrong about that I'd also have to be wrong about the stakes.

With threats of defunding the war, immigration amnesty, and inflationary job-killing wage increases all eminent, even the brightest optimists are fearful.  Now more than ever we need faith in the idea that this great country will survive it's temporary overseers.  The answer to the question, "could it get any worse?" has entered stage left.  Fasten your seatbelts folks, it's gonna be a rough ride.