July 21, 2008
New York Times ran an op-ed by the All Knowing God Head Sun King recently in which the AKGHSK stated his views on foreign policy.
John McCain subsequently submitted a rebuttal to the NYT.
The New York Times refused to run it.
...... on the grounds that it didn't mirror Obama's piece.
Wow.
It is, of course, the absolute right of the NYT to run what they want. To suggests otherwise really smacks of the malignant "fairness doctrine" which stifled political speech in this country for decades.
This decision is however, quite unfortunate.
In this sound byte age there are few opportunities for substantive debate between candidates. Having both submit thoughtful opinion pieces laying out there positions, policies and visions....and responding to those of the other candidate in print, with no timer, no interruptions and nary a Chris Mathews or Shawn Hannity in sight would have been a far better sort of political discourse than we have had in some time.
It is too bad the NYT felt their candidate was not up to such potentially substantive debating.
Fox has posted the the rejected McCain rebuttal here. As this is a political pamphelet and the Senator obviously wants the highest possible distribution I have cut and pasted the article in its entirety below the fold.
(Golly Senator, I hope I don't run afoul of your campaign finance legislation by doing this....
...Oh the endless ironies of life)
more...
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July 04, 2008
IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,
When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
The Signatures.....
Georgia:
Button Gwinnett
Lyman Hall
George Walton
North Carolina:
William Hooper
Joseph Hewes
John Penn
South Carolina:
Edward Rutledge
Thomas Heyward, Jr.
Thomas Lynch, Jr.
Arthur Middleton
Massachusetts:
John Hancock
Maryland:
Samuel Chase
William Paca
Thomas Stone
Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia:
George Wythe
Richard Henry Lee
Thomas Jefferson
Benjamin Harrison
Thomas Nelson, Jr.
Francis Lightfoot Lee
Carter Braxton
Pennsylvania:
Robert Morris
Benjamin Rush
Benjamin Franklin
John Morton
George Clymer
James Smith
George Taylor
James Wilson
George Ross
Delaware:
Caesar Rodney
George Read
Thomas McKean
New York:
William Floyd
Philip Livingston
Francis Lewis
Lewis Morris
New Jersey:
Richard Stockton
John Witherspoon
Francis Hopkinson
John Hart
Abraham Clark
New Hampshire:
Josiah Bartlett
William Whipple
Massachusetts:
Samuel Adams
John Adams
Robert Treat Paine
Elbridge Gerry
Rhode Island:
Stephen Hopkins
William Ellery
Connecticut:
Roger Sherman
Samuel Huntington
William Williams
Oliver Wolcott
New Hampshire:
Matthew Thornton
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June 29, 2008
Not all of these are particularly helpful or insightful.
A case in point is the notion that there are obvious parallels between this Senator and another famous and eloquent senator....Palpatine.
This sort of silliness does not advance the discussion at all...
For one thing, George Lucas should know, and disagrees vehemently with this assessment. Additionally, over at Machine Overlords, a convincing case is made that Lucas is correct and the Benevolent All Caring God Head Sun King is in fact a Jedi Knight.
For my part, given the length and accomplishments of his senatorial career and the scope and depth of his policy proposals, I am reasonably confident that the Illinois Senator is as likely as anybody to simultaneously bring about truly astounding change as well as open relations with the Toclafane.
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June 08, 2008
The lefties don't understand much about economics, history, energy tech, the strategy of technology or the enemies we face...but they do understand that politics is a team sport.
This is a lesson many of us on the right would do well to learn lest we join the Libertarians in the aloof moral superiority of utter irrelevancy.
One of the few Democratic candidates with actual cajones', Hillary may be a narcissistic, leftist, Nixon in a dress, but there is little doubt that were she to be president she would whip out the Ghurka knives on the nations enemies (as well as her political rivals).
So, naturally, the Dems , upon realizing that, nominated an articulate (and certainly likeable) version of Jimmy Carter with the actual experience removed.
Still, as utterly unsuitable as their policies are for running the country, the Dems are well poised to win it. They certainly deserve their unity dance. The fact that a person of color has a better than even chance of being elected is a fantastic thing for the country. The fact that the odds on favorite to be POTUS is a person with Obamas' policy views, particularly now, is, IMHO....more than a little worrisome.
I respectfully suggest my fellow conservatives stop with the drama queen temper tantrums and back McCain.
In the meantime, we can all give a tip of the hat to two people who really did break new ground, and open new horizons, as well as the voters who made that happen.
Kudos to the anonymous 4Channer who did the .gif
...and managed to politicize the Carmeldansen.
IS NOTHING SACRED?!!?!
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June 03, 2008
Holy toledo.
Barak would have to be suicidal or a lunatic in order to put someone in his VP slot when that person already has a knife in his back.
I do like the fact that the talking heads on FOX are largely unable to talk at the moment. I agree with their sentiments regarding pizza.
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May 23, 2008
Via Malkin :Cartoon via Red Planet
The government is making a lot more off the gas than the gas companies.
Keep that in mind the next time some populist pinhead threatens to nationalize the petroleum industry.
(just sayin'.)
Given the need to transfer to alternate fuels because of well founded concerns about feeding jihadism petro dollars and the need to increase self sufficiency, gas (or other carbon tax) is not something that I'm in principal opposed to....certainly less than other taxes.
The downside is that (as we are seeing now) gas prices have a sort of pachinko effect through the economy and expensive gas is just obnoxious.
A tax however is IMHO vastly preferable to the sort of byzantine cap and trade system favored by the greens which involve a sort of UN sponsored "indulgence" system and give tremendous power to governing bodies over the means of production....which has been the evil opposite of a good thing historically.
UPDATE:It should also be noted in passing that the price of oil has not risen in absolute terms quite as much as it seems from looking at its dollar price....The Dollar has actually gone down quite a bit in value. This is not to say that more rfineries or production would not help, but the Dollar is a big issue in and of itself.
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May 18, 2008
MEMO TO THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN: When somebody condemns appeasement, it doesn't help things to jump up and yell"Hey! He's talking about ME!"
Tonight I stumbled onto two less succinct but more comprehensive takes on this, which are worthy of linkage simply because of the spectrum of opinion.
The Anchoress likes the POTUS a lot and agrees with him on rather more issues than I do. She has a thoughtful roundup including the full text of the speech here and here.
Galrhan by contrast, strongly dislikes the the President, yet, is also deeply disturbed by Obama's reaction to a substantively correct speech.
Obama must have a guilt complex or something, how else can one explain how he sees this as a personal attack? Note, Hillary didn't react like a crying child, in fact she didn't react at all like Bush was talking about her. Why? Because no one in the world doubts she'll kick their ass, saw off their nuts, and mail them home to mommy. Everyone in the world but his supporters thinks Obama is weak, and it is why all the trash in the world love him. His reaction, and its associated pity party, only reinforces that perception of weakness.
It is not good for the nation to have such a stark contrast in perceived fortitude between the two candidates.
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May 14, 2008
Bwahahahahahahaha!!!
Of course she scares me less than Obama, but I still get to laugh.
Shamelessly lifted from Rand Simberg.
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Read the whole thing. In fairness, it concerns some of his more fanatical backers rather than Huckabee himself but it is a reminder (as if one was needed) that the Jackasses don't have a lock on creepy messianic political campaigns in their primaries this cycle...just the successful one.
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May 13, 2008
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April 22, 2008
I would hate to get expelled.
However, with that in mind,something has come up that requires comment.
Fortunately Pixy is doing a fine job of it, as is Matoko San.
I have not seen the film so I have little to add except to say that ID is pernicuiously, malignantly wrong. It is not merely stupid and wrong, it is corrosively antiscience.
Yes the evangelical atheists are vile and obnoxious and bigoted...how did the producers decide to get that point across? By making jerkwads like Dawkins look good.
Congratulations...you've cunningly picked an issue (I'm talking about IDiocy of course) where they are unequivocally right....BEULLLER!!!???
The filmakers allegedly make a point about left leaning influence of grants and political correctness.
Congratulations ein Stein....you've attached yourself to an issue where you are utterly wrong.
This film plays to the worst stereotypes that the left spreads about the right, empowers the condescending jackasses like Obama and Dawkins and it is immorally anti-science.
I've got morons on my team.
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April 19, 2008
More Chicom CV rumors here.
Varyag was purchased unfinished with the stated intention of turning it into a floating hotel/casino/ entertainment center....but 'somehow' ended up at a naval base painted in P.L.A.N. Grey with naval technicians swarming over her.
* I can't find a primary source on this.But this thread and the Wikipedia entry list Janes AtWFS 2008.
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March 12, 2008
Fallon was the head of CENTCOM and by all accounts a decent, upstanding, and competent guy.
Fallon is very widely respected by just about everybody. The idea that Fallon has left, either because he was forced out or had a serious disagreement is being taken by some as a signal of eminent war with Iran.
The generally reasonable Galhran sums up that view here.
....I really am stunned, I have never really believed the US was going to strike Iran until today.
And indeed, this does not make sense from a civilian political mindset which is what Gahlran's perspective is. I did not find the hyperbole of the Esquire piece particularly helpful especially since it seems to have been rewritten with extra added drama since the resignation.
CDR Salamander has a rather different take on this here. He makes some very good points that have escaped some other people.
I'm a junior enlisted reservist in a different service. So take my stock disclaimer to heart This is so far beyond my paygrade it boggles the mind.
Still...I tend to agree with the Commander on this. The Esquire article was stupid hyperbolic divisive and damaging. I also think there are other things going on. I don't think this is the Rubicon, but pieces like it may lead our enemies to believe that is the case.
How well that works out depends on how our side plays it.
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February 18, 2008
Ummm....good for them.
The US has immediately and enthusiastically recognized this development. This seems ill considered to me.
I was against it when Clinton meddled in that powder keg and I'm against this now. There are a couple of implications here....most of them are bad.
The current government of Kosovo is not exactly an innocent party either. Although Clinton went to war ostensibly to protect Kosovar Albanians from oppression by Serbs the only mass graves in Kosovo found thus far have contained dead Serbs. (there were reportedly Serb atrocities elsewhere) The demography of the area did not shift benignly.
In the utterly lunatic scenario that we might want to take SIDES in a conflict in the Balkans...which is the border between Eastern Europe, Western Europe and Islam...we might give consideration to not taking the side of the aggressors.
We did not need to jump to recognize Kosovo so suddenly. If it maintains its independence then it is a fait acompli and recognition will come, but to be one of the first to support this terrible humiliation of the Serbs is to rub salt in the wounds that Clinton opened with Russia.
This is, of course, only one of the reasons that Russia....which ought to be our ally right now given our common issues with Islamic extremist nutjobs has become so antiwestern over the last decade....but it is a big one.
WW1 started over less.
Then there is the little matter of precedent.
Kosovo is breaking away from the rest of Serbia due to the fact that Albanians (muslims) have been streaming across a porous border and squatting in Serb territory. I would argue that we might not want to publicly support the right of a region that undergoes ethnic demographic shift to secede....no really.
Let's see....piss off Russia: check
Set pretty dangerous precedent regards our own challenges: check
Further insinuate into rather than extricate ourselves from one of the bloodiest most effed up strife-torn regions of Europe with no prospect whatsoever for a lessening in tensions. : check
OK Now for the good points.
...
Feel free to add any in the comments...all I got is crickets.
More thoughts here and here.
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February 04, 2008
Like most conservatives I am put off by a few of his positions that are not in keeping with either liberty, limited government or common sense. These are, to be sure, nontrivial matters. However, I still think he is better on Foreign Policy than his most formidable rival (Romney) who held many of the same positions until recently. McCain is at least consistent and honest in his views as much as I disagree with them.
As to those views, Bill Quick pretty much lays out the conservative case against McCain here.
Aside from the rumors of perfidy for which I can find no evidence other than hearsay and innuendo they are genuine and legitimate points of disagreement. They also don't hold a candle to the differences we all would have with a Clinton or even Obama administration.
I can only suggest that Mr. Quick change his title picture to a dove, flowers, or a modified inverted Mercedes symbol because he obviously does not take the war seriously any more if he is going to actively suggest that we vote for Hillary or Obama instead of McCain.
The comment section there looks like a Democratic Underground thread. It is awfully dismaying.
I want to take this opportunity to thank RH Junior, (who has a store that sells stuff ) and who vehemently disagrees with me on this point for remaining civil.
Tomorrow is Super Tuesday.
This is therefore (hopefully) my last post on this divisive topic as by tomorrow evening this issue will likely be settled.
I have little to add but others who are not Z-list bloggers have some thoughts....
more...
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January 30, 2008
Regards my pointing out that Bush failed to veto McCain-Feingold and has not been held accountable for this RH makes this argument....
No, there hasn't been an outcry to impeach Bush for signing McCain-Feingold. On the other hand, he didn't draft the thing, did he. He's not a legislator, or a Supreme Court justice. As Executive he only has the power to enforce the law, and his only interaction with the process of legislation is to offer suggestions, and delay or retard legislation being passed by way of a veto--- and that, not indefinitely. Refusing to sign would have only delayed the political freight train for a round or two and given the Democrats screaming about his presidential "illegitimacy" more ammo. That said, what did he have to lose by hoping the Supreme Court would do its proper job for once?
I disagree with this. The presidents job is to defend the constitution.. His primary weapons in this endeavor are the US military and the veto pen.
I do agree with many of your points aside from the characterization of McCain's actions as wicked. McCain, like Bush is what historically would have been considered a Truman Democrat. These are not evil creatures, merely wrong in the long term, for the unintended consequences of the actions of a powerful central government ( in domestic matters) and socialistic spending tend to always lead to hell.
In the short term they can be and often are extremely good to have, particularly on foreign policy matters....which is a great concern at this time.
Attempting to curtail corruption in politics is not an ignoble goal. Like the drug war though, its ramifications are often worse than the initial problem....especially if the people offering solutions are insulated from reality the day to day consequences by the 495 beltway (or the ivory tower of academia).
I have little doubt that McCain, as wrong as I feel he is on certain issues, is striving to be on the side of the angels. I have rather less doubt that Hillary will be far worse for the Republic.
I'm sorely tempted to write in Thompson too, but the result of enough people doing that would be President Hillary.
Some suggest that sitting that sitting this one out and inflicting Hillary upon the nation will finally wake up the Republican Party and get us back in touch with our core principals. The evidence for this is scant indeed given that the unexciting current crop of candidates is what was fielded AFTER they were "taught a lesson" in 2006. It is also akin to the wishes occasionally expressed on the DU site a few years back that a city would just please blow up in a mushroom cloud to teach the nation a lesson about having Republicans in control. Hillary is going to be far worse in all areas at a time we will be facing very real challenges, both fiscal, military and ethical.
RH junior is absolutely correct in pointing out that having a heroic war record does not in and of itself confer great leadership abilities upon one ( see Randy Cunningham). However, the particular actions (and inactions) that led to McCain's awards speak to a singular strength of character. Being an officer or even an NCO does involve intangible leadership qualities that are not often appreciated. However, this skill set is of little consequence if not backed up by character and the equally intangible quality known as honor. McCain was tested rather more harshly than most and kept faith with his men, and his nation. THIS and not abstract medal's or wounds are what give me some confidence that McCain is worthy of the job and will execute his duties with diligence, competence and good faith.
I will likely tear my remaining few strands of hair out over some of his decisions, though I've gone a long way towards that with our current president....who I nevertheless voted for twice....and I am still confident that he was the correct choice in both instances.
The much larger problem facing conservatives, namely the lack of appreciation (or often even comprehension) of basic federalist, individualist and limited government principles is not going to be solved by any one candidate.
Trying to fix this problem is a daunting task, as our views, however well borne out by history, are vehemently opposed by the vast majority of teachers, civil servants and the chattering classes. It is going to require mobilization of conservatives to arenas rather beyond the scope of the keyboard in order to make our case. Conservatives who care need to donate to and rally for those who we can enthusiastically support. It has been done before as the Goldwater/Reagan revolution demonstrated, but it will require work
Going home and pouting will only ensure our irrelevance. That was, you recall, the action of some of those closest to our views, the (big "L" Libertarians), who's full scale abandonment of the Republican party helped tip the GOP's internal argument regards the role and function of government towards the New Dealers who joined as many of the Libertarians bailed.
Like many of my fellows I'm tired of holding my nose and voting but we have before us (as President Bush did in 2001-2) a series of choices that are varying degrees of bad....however, voting for Fred Thompson, Ronald Reagan or Aragorn is only going to remove votes from the less bad of the alternatives.
UPDATE: Tangentially related thoughts here.
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January 25, 2008
In the previous post I expressed dismay at the current Republican field. I linked to Rusty Shackleford's thoughtful endorsement of Romney. I also mentioned that, nevertheless, it is McCain whom I'm (very tentatively) leaning towards.
In the comments to that post, the fantastically talented RH Junior makes his case against McCain.
I would think McCain's track record as a living threat to the Constitution would count more.
"You signed a bill that makes it a crime to pay for a political ad around election time."
"But I fought in the WAR! Look, here's my scar...!"
Sorry, I want to elect a President, not a war wound.
Fair enough, though, I disagree. However, it is instructive to examine the (not unfounded) aversion to McCain that many thoughtful righties have.
McCain was a solid republican Senator for several years until he was involved in the Keating Savings and Loan scandal in the late '80s. The Keating 5 were rebuked more for an appearance of impropriety rather than any actual impropriety and it has been suggested that McCain's being on the list was primarily to allow the Democrats to present the scandal as "a bipartisan problem".
McCain's behavior in the Hanoi Hilton indicates he places a high importance on personal honor... and this besmirched his honor. He was forthright...perhaps self deprecating...in his admission of poor judgment (in doing what was pretty standard senatorial behavior at the time) and worked to regain his image.
He worked rather too hard.
McCain became the darling of the press by doing the one thing sure to endear a Republican to the press....namely bashing his fellow Republicans.
This did NOT endear him to many conservatives, but McCain reaped considerable benefits in favorable press coverage. McCain, very concious of his good name, particularly after how much he had suffered for it, seemed to become obsessed with the Keating blot on his record and determined to sweep it away.
In addition to the "straight talk"...(which sounded a LOT like backstabbing to certain other Republicans) he engaged in a quest for campaign finance reform.
Now the history of campaign finance reform is remarkably similar to the evolution of drug resistant diseases....every attempt has caused the financing to mutate and rejigger itself through some loophole so that in a few election cycles the graft is at pre-reform levels...but rather harder to trace.
The result of this test is that to many conservatives....myself included...the best finance reform is strictly enforced transparency. (This is especially true now given the potential of the Internet...money is a big factor but not AS big as it once was and that trend is likely to accelerate...if not stymied by "reform")
McCain went with a rather more spectacular idea.
The reform legislation was the McCain-Feingold law which combined perceived solutions to several pet peeves of the Republicans and Democrats into a Byzantine overarching mess that allows the US government to get involved in local first amendment issues....see here, here and here . The upshot is that speech leading up to an election is restricted quite odiously. This is not at all in keeping with the principles of a Republic.
Note that it DOES get worse (but only if you are not a Democrat). You see, the "Press" is exempt so there can be coverage, but only by the "Press"....who is the "Press"? Well, it is whoever the Federal Election commission decides it is. The MSM are, of course, grandfathered (natch). Given their general hostility to Republicans this is not a good thing for those of us on the right.
This, however, is merely a tactical concern, the real problem with this odious legislation is the insane idea that the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT can determine if a car dealership can run ads or decide if a grass roots organization can run an ad during a certain part of the year.
This is what RH Junior means when he mentions a living threat to the constitution. It strikes at the heart of our republic and sets a precedent that is extremely unhealthy.
This is bad news.
That being said...
Bush (who many people unfriendly towards McCain like rather more) is the one who signed this legislative abortion into law...using the blinkered notion that he'd just rely on the Supreme Court to strike it down.
Option A: He is telling the truth and signed a law he felt was UNCONSTITUTIONAL into law...assuming the SCOTUS would do his job for him.
Option B: He really saw nothing wrong with it. (ew!)
Neither is good, but I don't hear calls for impeaching the POTUS from McCain's detractors on the right. My own issues with the POTUS from before it was fashionable in my circles are here.
Of the remaining 3 viable candidates, McCain seems not terribly worse than the others on most issues, better on gun control, better on foreign policy by way of experience and he is absolutely committed to striving to win this long war. He is, of course worse on the particular issue of campaign finance and that should not be dismissed. However, if McCain Feingold is to be fixed, such fixing will come from the Congress, not the White House.
McCain is also a genuine war hero and it is on this that I take some umbrage to the last bit of the above quote.
McCain is not an obsequiously loyal Republican...but he held faith where it mattered. Wounded, tortured and offered early release, he did not betray those with whom he served. This shows a depth of character and a force of will that is important in a commander in chief.
I do not agree with a lot of McCain's positions...but I have no doubt whatsoever that his heart is in the right place, that he will strive to win the war, and that he is acting in good faith for the nation. In this he stands in stark contrast to his most likely opponent, Hillary. On most other issues, especially foreign policy, he is still better than his likable but long shot opponent (Obama) who is both inexperienced and, I firmly believe, wrong on the most vital issues.
That is the rub...
...and it is why I feel that Shackleford's quote here is ill conceived....
McCain can beat Hillary. But McCain is, well, McCain.
Yes, but Hillary is Hillary and that is that.
Hillary's old guard top-down leftist policies are not going to be good for the economy, our personal freedoms or the war effort. Her disdain for our service members is well documented and her views on any number of issues are either alarmingly statist or have changed with the polls like a windsock in a tornado. A recovering economy needs stability and despite views many of us disagree on, no one can accuse him of being inconsistent. He is no leftie, as this voting assessment shows. (though it is rather weighted towards the social end)
Honor does count for something as does the character implied by taking the oath to serve ones country and die a bit if called upon.
I certainly don't believe this is the Alpha and Omega of political decisions (as my declaring for Fred should make clear), but it does count for a positive, especially given McCain's performance under extreme duress. It differentiates him in a positive way from the rest of a barren field that is entirely uninspiring to a conservative such as myself.
I can get behind Romney or, with trepidation, Gulianie...but for now, McCain is the one I consider the best and most electable of the lot.
UPDATE: While McCain may not be the sum of all evil, I am the Acme of poor typists....syntax and spelling typos corrected.
UPDATE2: Oh ..yeah...I'd forgotten about that.... urp....
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07:08 PM
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January 18, 2008
Now it appears I may have been too kind.
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05:47 PM
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January 10, 2008
As I suck at liveblogging, here are a couple of links to those who don't.
Thompson is doing pretty good this evening...More of this please!
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January 05, 2008
I still like Thompson the best by far.
I think he did very well in the debate despite (and in a way because of) the fact that he seemed to say the fewest words. He was to the point, direct and intelligent.
OTOH, Romney had his best night ever. He came off very well when the others pounced on him. Paul also gave his best performance yet though it served to underscored his problems on foreign policy.
Various other views here here and here.
I liked the bit at the end where the Dems and Republicans schmoozed for a bit.
Thus far the Dem debate seems to be rather less substantive
Note though that Edwards is doing the best by far (10:33pm) ...I disagree with him on most every substantive point but he is making the most substantive and specific arguments. Edwards is making the best populist arguments since the '30s. He most accurately and sincerely extols the vengeance and resentment based policies of the Democrats. He makes very good, often heartwrenching observations (IMHO judiciously avoiding any correct conclusions). He is quite likable.
Obama is likable, persuasive and seems to have large well hidden blank spots that are alarming.
Peron Clinton is still an amazing synthesis of rage, a sense of entitlement and disdain. She is no less an advocate of intrusive nannyism than Edwards but comes off as more elitist...imperious in her disdain for...pretty much all of us.
Richardson is the biggest disappointment of the lot. I'd thought he would be the most reasonable of the group. He's pandering to the nutroots.
His comment about the Russian nukes being confirmed to be in terrorists hands is the bombshell (!) of the night if true.
It is ending as I type this...None of the Dems on stage was willing to admit the surge had had any beneficial effect. Reality based community my ass.
UPDATE:
Big roundup of links to roundups here.
UPDATE2: Rand Simberg has more here.
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10:34 PM
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