10.11.06
Posted in Politics, 2006 Races, Democrats, National Security at 1:08 pm by JB
Not much of a McCain fan either, but it’s nice to see a little offense instead of all this self-flagellation.
Republican Sen. John McCain on Tuesday accused former President Clinton, the husband of his potential 2008 White House rival, of failing to act in the 1990s to stop North Korea from developing nuclear weapons.
“I would remind Senator (Hillary) Clinton and other Democrats critical of the Bush administration’s policies that the framework agreement her husband’s administration negotiated was a failure,” McCain said at a news conference after a campaign appearance for Republican Senate candidate Mike Bouchard.
“The Koreans received millions and millions in energy assistance. They’ve diverted millions of dollars of food assistance to their military,” he said.
Democrats have argued President Clinton presented his successor with a framework for dealing with North Korea and the Republican fumbled the opportunity. In October 2000, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright made a groundbreaking visit to Pyongyang to explore a missile deal with Chairman Kim Jong Il. There was even talk of a visit by President Clinton.
Ahhhhhhh YES ! Another “framework” that was left for the incoming administration. Again, what also seems lost at every turn (like Rose Law Firm billing records) is that they (may have) passed along a few pages of a plan, but more importantly they passed along THE DAMN PROBLEM ! This international security kick-the-can routine is silly and childish, and the American electorate know it. Dem’s can’t be trusted with security.
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Posted in Politics, 2006 Races, Democrats at 1:00 pm by JB
And probably never really will be, but Rep. Christopher Shays, the barely-Republican of Connecticut, has pulled out the sharp knives, and it’s about damn time someone put this Foley BS into perspective.
From the Hartford Courant: (emphasis mine)
When the congressional page scandal broke last month, Democrats across the country saw a chance to lambaste Republican leadership - including Diane Farrell, who called on House Speaker Dennis Hastert to step down.
But when Sen. Edward M. Kennedy came to Connecticut last week to help her campaign, Rep. Christopher Shays hit back.
“I know the speaker didn’t go over a bridge and leave a young person in the water, and then have a press conference the next day,” said Shays, R-4th District, referring to the 1969 incident in which the Massachusetts Democrat drove a car that plunged into the water and a young campaign worker died.
“Dennis Hastert didn’t kill anybody,” he added.
HAHAHAHAHA !!!!! Yes, please, let’s make Teddy “Dewers and Drowning” Kennedy, Bob “Pave the State and Burn the Crosses” Byrd, Bill “I did not have sex with that woman” Clinton, Barney “Let’s run a gay escort service” Frank…. I could go on and on…. let’s make them the poster children of the Democratic party that they want to be.
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10.02.06
Posted in Politics, 2006 Races, Media Morons at 2:45 am by JB
I haven’t written anything on this National Intelligence Estimate thing yet, but I will more in the coming week.
My questions here are…. why all the outrage over a small part of what was leaked by obvious partisan intelligence analysts, and no outrage over the fact that sensitive intelligence documents were leaked in the first place?! Isn’t that on some level “aid and comfort” to the enemy, which is the textbook definition of treason ?
Why no reporting on the fact that a large part of the NIE contradicts the initial reporting….. It’s the equivilent of the press reporting a NOAA report that says (and this pretty much has happened) “2006 will be the worst year for hurricanes in recorded history”- that gets headlines and weepy reporting for days. The next sentence in the report says, “But it may not be.” That is never mentioned.
And finally, why is the CIA and FBI not all over investigating all these damn leaks ?! It seems every week some (politically convenient to the Democrats) confidential report is leaked to the WaPo or the NYT, and nobody in the media seems to see that as a bad thing.
Well… nobody aside from those evil right-wing bastards at Fox News and Rush Limbaugh. Is it really any wonder the supposedly “right wing” media is kicking the crap out of the “hate America” media ?
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09.16.06
Posted in Politics, Unhinged, 2006 Races, Democrats at 4:21 am by JB
But this makes me want to- to take a cue from Mary Landreiu- punch Nancy Pelosi in the face.
Her opening statement covered a full range of Democratic issues: fiscal responsibility. The minimum wage. The trade deficit. Student loans. Health care. Energy independence. Social Security. Medicare.
Then came the questions. “This is now the third election in a row in which they’ve raised security issues just before the election,” the first questioner said of the Republicans. “Why won’t it work for them a third time?”
“We won’t be Swift-boated on the national security issue,” the minority leader maintained.
“As you know,” came the follow-up, Republicans “are citing past votes by you and other Democrats.”
Pelosi was defensive. “I have five children,” she said. “Five grandchildren, going on six. And I consider myself the ultimate security mom.” By way of clarification, she felt compelled to add: “Democrats are committed to hunting down Osama bin Laden.”
A third questioner pointed out that Republicans have regained the lead on national security. “This is what, I guess, campaigns will be about,” Pelosi conceded with some reluctance. “It shouldn’t be about national security.”
This woman, and in turn and in toto the Democrats, are so completely out of touch. I will revisit this later, but to say an election shouldn’t be about national security is…. there hasn’t been, in 2000 years of developing language, and lots of recent Democratic trying…. a word hasn’t been invented yet to describe how stupid that thought is.
It’s like saying cooking shouldn’t be about ingredients. It’s ridiculous on it’s face. And this is the moron the Dem’s are embracing to be the next Speaker. Come on guys…. you have to be kidding.
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09.15.06
Posted in Politics, 2006 Races at 2:53 am by JB
squarely on the head. I don’t agree with everything in the piece, but this part is solid.
The Democrats’ mistake–ironically, in a year all about Mr. Bush–is obsessing on Mr. Bush. They’ve been sucker-punched by their own animosity.
“The Democrats now are incapable of answering a question on policy without mentioning Bush six times,” says pollster Kellyanne Conway. ” ‘What is your vision on Iraq?’ ‘Bush lied us into war.’ ‘Health care? ‘Bush hasn’t a clue.’ They’re so obsessed with Bush it impedes them from crafting and communicating a vision all their own.” They heighten Bush by hating him.
One of the oldest clichés in politics is, “You can’t beat something with nothing.” It’s a cliché because it’s true. You have to have belief, and a program. You have to look away from the big foe and focus instead on the world and philosophy and programs you imagine.
Mr. Bush’s White House loves what the Democrats are doing. They want the focus on him. That’s why he’s out there talking, saying Look at me.
Because familiarity doesn’t only breed contempt, it can breed content. Because if you’re going to turn away from him, you’d better be turning toward a plan, and the Democrats don’t appear to have one.
Which leaves them unlikely to win leadership. And unworthy of it, too.
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Posted in Politics, 2006 Races at 12:23 am by JB
May be a miserable Tuesday in November for the loyal opposition.
Forty-seven percent (47%) of American adults approve of the way that President Bush is performing his job. Fifty percent (50%) disapprove. Those are by far the best numbers for the President since mid-February.
I stand by my prediction…. GOP will pick up seats in both houses.
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09.14.06
Posted in Politics, Economics, "Big Oil", 2006 Races at 1:50 pm by JB
Gas prices at 1/2 the mark now ? Talk about an economic boost.
The recent sharp drop in the global price of crude oil could mark the start of a massive sell-off that returns gasoline prices to lows not seen since the late 1990s — perhaps as low as $1.15 a gallon.
“All the hurricane flags are flying” in oil markets, said Philip Verleger, a noted energy consultant who was a lone voice several years ago in warning that oil prices would soar. Now, he says, they appear to be poised for a dramatic plunge.
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09.08.06
Posted in Politics, Television, Unhinged, 9/11, 2006 Races, Democrats at 4:42 pm by JB
The Dem leadership in the Senate is threatening the broadcast license of ABC if they air that movie…
September 7, 2006
Mr. Robert A. Iger
President and CEO
The Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank CA 91521
Dear Mr. Iger,
We write with serious concerns about the planned upcoming broadcast of The Path to 9/11 mini-series on September 10 and 11. Countless reports from experts on 9/11 who have viewed the program indicate numerous and serious inaccuracies that will undoubtedly serve to misinform the American people about the tragic events surrounding the terrible attacks of that day. Furthermore, the manner in which this program has been developed, funded, and advertised suggests a partisan bent unbecoming of a major company like Disney and a major and well respected news organization like ABC. We therefore urge you to cancel this broadcast to cease Disney’s plans to use it as a teaching tool in schools across America through Scholastic. Presenting such deeply flawed and factually inaccurate misinformation to the American public and to children would be a gross miscarriage of your corporate and civic responsibility to the law, to your shareholders, and to the nation.
The Communications Act of 1934 provides your network with a free broadcast license predicated on the fundamental understanding of your principle obligation to act as a trustee of the public airwaves in serving the public interest. Nowhere is this public interest obligation more apparent than in the duty of broadcasters to serve the civic needs of a democracy by promoting an open and accurate discussion of political ideas and events.
Disney and ABC claim this program to be based on the 9/11 Commission Report and are using that assertion as part of the promotional campaign for it. The 9/11 Commission is the most respected American authority on the 9/11 attacks, and association with it carries a special responsibility. Indeed, the very events themselves on 9/11, so tragic as they were, demand extreme care by any who attempt to use those events as part of an entertainment or educational program. To quote Steve McPhereson, president of ABC Entertainment, “When you take on the responsibility of telling the story behind such an important event, it is absolutely critical that you get it right.”
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA !!!!
This is ridiculous, and the almost reflexive action to protect the legacy of Clinton, and to protect their own electoral potential, is hilarious. I think the boy-who-cried-wolf routine has been played enough by these idiots.
Frankly, that ABC and Disney would consider airing a program that could be construed as right-wing political propaganda on such a grave and important event involving the security of our nation is a discredit both to the Disney brand and to the legacy of honesty built at ABC by honorable individuals from David Brinkley to Peter Jennings. Furthermore, that Disney would seek to use Scholastic to promote this misguided programming to American children as a substitute for factual information is a disgrace.
Could be constued…. I could construe everything Jennings every did as left-wing, and quite a bit of Disney/ABC policy is left-wing…
Sincerely,
Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid
Assistant Democratic Leader Dick Durbin
Senator Debbie Stabenow
Senator Charles Schumer
Senator Byron Dorgan
Yeah…. those are some reasonable people. Surprised Durbin didn’t equate the Disney and ABC executives to Pol Pot.
This is getting funnier by the day.
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Posted in Politics, Terrorists, War on Terrorism, 2006 Races at 1:53 pm by JB
I’ve never understood the first part of this point, mostly trumpeted by liberals and the media (one and the same usually), but in this case made by Newt Gingrich:
Just consider the following: Osama bin Laden is still at large. Afghanistan is still insecure. Iraq is still violent. North Korea and Iran are still building nuclear weapons and missiles. Terrorist recruiting is still occurring in the U.S., Canada, Great Britain and across the planet.
We hear this a lot from Pelosi and Reid and Dean… But these are the same people that claim that by capturing or killing terrorists on the battlefield we just “create” more terrorists ? What is the magic bullet that catching OBL will serve ? We’ve captured or killed #2 men all over the planet, and this is poo-poo’ed as an insignificant event, and something that just causes more fanatics to join the cause against us. If we get the #1 guy is that some sort of phaser into the port-hole of the Death Star that all the sudden causes the entire system to collapse ?
“It’s been 5 years- FIVE years- and we still haven’t caught Bin Laden,” is a regular refrain from the DNC and their minions. It’s also been 5 years since we were hit on our own soil. Seems to me whatever strategy we’ve been using- Bin Laden dead/captured or not- seems to be working pretty damn well.
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09.06.06
Posted in Politics, 2006 Races at 11:22 pm by JB
I am so sick of this “politicizing the war” “using terrorism to scare the country” bullshit.
Of course the war is political. Of course terrorism should be mentioned. And I hope like hell it scares people.
The Dem’s want to scare people with phantom threats of “the rich” and lack of free medical care… of people with initials on their windbreakers listening to phone calls and some ever-present Haliburton boogeyman.
When you are a politician, everything is political. For that matter, what purpose does saying “the GOP wants to politicize the war, wants to play politics with security” serve other than to scare people about the GOP.
Harry Reid with his oh-so-sincere concern just makes me nuts. Nancy Pelosi with her we-must-protect-the-terrorists rhetoric is even worse. But….
With the DNC spending this much time going insane means they are really scared. They have 1/3 the money, and no ideas going into November.
Bring them on. This is gonna be fun.
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Posted in Politics, 2006 Races at 10:48 pm by JB
And he should be listened to.
A lot of info there, but all good ideas. His conclusion ?
The Senate is so hard to manage and the confusion in the Senate is so great that it is impossible to imagine a clear message coming from the Senate.
The House of Representatives, however, has the opportunity to set the agenda for the fall and to define the issues in terms which will have overwhelming support from the American people.
House Republicans have two months to change history. They can go one of two ways.
They can continue to ignore the lessons of history, and forget the fact that real change must begin with the American people, not the media or Washington elite.
Let’s do that. NOW !
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Posted in Politics, 2006 Races at 12:08 pm by JB
The WSJ has offered a prescription for the GOP to serve up to save their chances in November.
Some I like, some not as much, but mostly I do like the idea of forcing votes on all those issues, to see where everyone stands. Especially- ESPECIALLY- on immigration.
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