Kowabunga

Zawahiri, the Egyptian terrorist and No. 2 man in al Qaeda, is spewing out venom again.

"Bush, oh failure and liar, why don't you be courageous for once and confront your people and tell them the truth about your losses in Iraq and Afghanistan."

I am unaware of any time in which the Bush Administration has attempted to deceive America in believing our casualty rate is worse than has been documented. for one reason, the press would figure it out.

Zawahiri is just frothing at the mouth, as usual.

BBC News

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Zawahiri
Al Qaeda
War on Terror

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There has been so much to write about, and so little time this past week.

7-Eleven has decided to sever it's ties with the Venezuelan government owned Citgo gas after last week's tirade by that country's dictator, Hugo Chavez. Spokespeople for 7-Eleven state that politics had nothing to do with the decision.

"Regardless of politics, we sympathize with many Americans' concerns over derogatory comments about our country and its leadership recently made" by Chavez, 7-Eleven said in a statement.

The piece on FoxNews goes on to indicate that 7-Eleven had been planning to switch to their own branded fuel for some time. Whatever reason 7-Eleven has for the switch at this time, I commend them for ceasing to do business with communist dictatorships.

Tags:

7-Eleven
Venezuela
Citgo
Hugo Chavez

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FoxNws has a report, as does Washington Times, on the speech given to the United Nations by Hugo Chavez of Venezuela. Chavez opened his speech by referring to President Bush and made some very derogatory remarks concerning the smell of sulfur still lingering at the podium. This kind of hateful rhetoric, although in keeping with the loony-left, is out of place in such a body as the United Nations (regardless of how corrupt the organization has become). Here’s more of what Chavez said:

"The United States empire is on its way down and it will be finished in the near future, inshallah," Chavez told reporters, ending the statement with the Arabic phrase for "God willing."

Would you trust a man to keep his word that continues to deny that the Holocaust took place, claiming it to be nothing but a myth perpetrated by Jews? A man who routinely calls for the destruction of another country? A man who participated in the invasion of a U.S. Embassy, holding 66 diplomats and citizens of the U.S. hostage for 444 days? Would you trust this man to keep his word about not using nuclear technology to achieve his goal of destroying Israel?

The man I am writing about is Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Presidnet of Iran, a country that has been under totalitarian rule since President Jimmy Carter abandoned our ally, allowing for religious extremists to oust the Shah of Iran from leading (and Westernizing) that country.

It is no secret that Iran has been enriching uranium for some time now. The United States, the ineffectual United Nations, and much of Europe have been calling for cessation of the enrichment programs. Iran has claimed they will cease only under what it would consider "fair and just" conditions.

Like North Korea, who also claimed they were not using the technology to develop nuclear weapons, should we take their word at face value? As long as we recognize that "face value" isn’t worth a plugged nickel, sure. Otherwise, Ahmedinejad and the ruling class of Iran should not be trusted to keep their word.

In the ‘90s, thanks to Jimmy Carter and the Clinton administration, North Korea was given nuclear energy technology for peaceful purposes; to generate electricity only. It did not take long for North Korea to break their agreement and use the technology that the United States (using the money of the American taxpayer) to develop nuclear weapons. All the time that they were working on weapons technology, they continued to claim to be abiding the agreements made and be open to inspections.

There is no doubt in my mind that Iran is using the same methods as North Korea to achieve their goal of developing nuclear weapons. Worse yet, they are highly likely to hand over sufficient quanities of uranium-235, or, if they pursue it as North Korea has, plutonium. Then it will only be a matter of time before al Qaeda achieves its goal of acquiring the main ingredient for nuclear bombs and go down the path of nuclear terrorism. Or, maybe, Iran will simply use the tech to extort the West out of even more concessions, continuing to use the Norht Korean model of, "if we promise to be good this time, will you give us more stuff?"

Why our State Department granted Ahmadinejad diplomatic immunity is beyond me. This terrorist should never have been allowed entry into the United States. And he certainly should not be trusted with nuclear technology of any kind, no matter what he says or claims it is for.

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Iran

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The Red Star Tribune is at it again, with this editorial today. The sub-headline is:

Fine's attack on Ellison and his religion was reprehensible.

"I'm extremely concerned about Keith Ellison, Keith Hakim, Keith X. Ellison, Keith Ellison Muhammad," Fine read. "He is unfit to represent the voters of the Fifth District. He is the follower of a known racist, Louis Farrakhan, who promoted division between the people of our nation, a person who believes that the white man is the antichrist, a person who called for the destruction of our nation, a person who believes that Jews are the scourge of the earth. I'm personally offended as a Jew that we have a candidate like this running for U.S. Congress. ... His selection is an embarrassment to our district, our state, our country and our world."

It is bad enough that Ellison has dozens of unpaid parking tickets, federal tax issues and has failed to file campaign finance reports.

The Red Star Tribune has said that Fine should stick to the issues, such as Ellison's anti-war zealotry, or his position on health care, or wanting to raise the minimum wage (which will cause inflation and increase unemployment, as any increase in wages is passed down to the consumer).

This only goes to show, that if you are left-wing enough, the main stream media will ignore and forgive all such transgressions.

For more on Ellison, check out this Powerline article is a good lace to start.

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Keith Ellison
Alan Fine
Red Star Tribune

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Egads, what an editorial in the Red Star Tribune. Colleen Rowley, the extreme Leftist and anti-liberate Iraq candidate for the Minnesota 2nd Congressional District, and Jerald Albrecht, a former officer of the Army Reserve, are attacking Bush policy on Iraq and the GOP in general.

It starts off simply enough, stating the obvious on the dedication of the members of the Armed Forces in doing their duty, but then they go way off base with:

Bush first failed the troops when he put them in harm's way despite knowing that the threat from Iraq was practically nonexistent. He then failed to provide them with the tools to succeed: no plan to secure the peace, insufficient body armor, questionable support from Dick Cheney's Halliburton cronies and one-third the number of troops necessary to get the job done. But most shameful of all has been the willingness of Bush and the GOP leadership to use our troops as a tool for political gain.

Our armed forces went into Iraq, along with forces from the coalition partners, to LIBERATE Iraq from a mass-murdering dictator, who, during his reign, killed some 500,000 of his own people, including using chemical weapons on the Kurdish population; mutilating others; torturing many more. His sons maintained rape rooms where they took women AGAINST their will, then raped and murdered them.

They also claim that Iraq, under Hussein, had far more access to electricity, water and other vital necessities than they do today. Admitted, the war and ongoing terrorism have hindered the re-establishment of vital infrastructure, however, that infrastructure is being rebuilt with great improvements.

They also claim that the troops have not had the tools necessary to accomplish the mission, and blames the Bush Administration for that, even though it is CONGRESS that controls the purse strings, not the president.

Then there is also the claim that Bush and the Republican party are using the troops as a tool for military game. If anything, it is Rowley and her ilk in the Democratic Party and the left-wing zealots of the “hate Bush” crowd that are attempting to use the troops as apolitical tool.

They castigate the use by Republicans of "cut and run" when we refer to Democratic operatives and candidates, and that any one who does not believe in "staying the course" is accused of Neville Chamberlain like appeasement. News flash for Rowley: you are supporting a “cut and run” policy and course of appeasement, which will only embolden the terrorists to carry out even more attacks, and killing more Americans, British, French, and peoples of other nations.

I find it highly disturbing that these two Moonbats believe the people of Iraq were better off under Hussein than they are in pursuing Democracy.

I am further offended by their reference to those of us who have served or currently serving as being part of a "military machine." Our volunteer military is anything BUT a machine.

They continue:

Since the occupation began, Iraq has been on a slow, inexorable slide toward civil war; our two top generals in the region recently testified that the current situation in Iraq is the worst it's ever been.

And if we leave Iraq before the job is done and people of Iraq have had a chance to secure their nation and their liberty, then it will slide into civil war.

Sure, there are bad things happening in Iraq, like the recent dumping of 65 Iraqi bodies by death squads that are still operating in that country.

The only thing preventing the civil war are the Coalition troops currently operating with the Iraqi Army. Pull out prematurely, al Qaeda and Iran will view it as a victory for their side. Then the terrorists operating in Iraq, once they overthrow the new Iraqi government and install a new totalitarian regime, will move on to other countries to continue their jihad against the West.

Despite overwhelming evidence that Iraq's stability has been steadily eroding, Bush has made his intentions clear: He expects our troops to "stay the course" until he leaves office -- nearly three more years.

As a resident of Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District, the district Rowley is running in, I am particularly interested in what she says, and look forward to her going down in defeat this November.

Tags:

Coleen Rowley
Iraq
Military
War on Terror
Congress
cut and run

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There is a great piece ripping on Brad Pitt in FoxNews. The piece is by Mike Straka and is well worth the read. It opens on a statement made by Pitt that he would not marry Angelina Jolie until "everyone who wants to married can do so legally.'

One point Straka missed is that everyone who wants to marry can do so. You just can't marry someone who is the same sex as you. Nothing is stopping a gay man from marrying a woman, providing they so choose to do so.

Aside from that, Straka makes some wonderful points:

What, was his wedding to Jennifer Aniston just another publicity stunt, or did he not hold the first Mrs. Pitt up to the same standards as he does Ms. Jolie?

Do you think the next time Pitt is offered a ride across the country on some studio's private jet he'll decline, stating, "I'll take the ride when every person in America can afford such luxury," or "for the good of the environment, I will fly commercial"?

On his next big movie contract, do you think he'll refuse the big money and say, "I'll take that ridiculous amount of money for my job playing make believe, when more deserving people like doctors, scientists, firefighters, police officers and members of our armed forces are compensated just as much for the important work that they do."

Hah!

Pitt and Jolie, by having three illegitimate children together, are among the big reasons that social values in America have declined to all new depths.

So, Brad, how about it? Going to start flying economy class with the rest of us?

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Brad Pitt
Angelina Jolie
Same-Sex Marriage

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Captain Ed of Captain's Quarters, responded to an article in the Washington Post on the current state of the Palestinian Authority.

Israel has little to gain from recognizing an entity that refuses to recognize it. The tax revenues flow directly from the Oslo agreement, and the new Hamas government rejected Oslo as soon as it took office. In fact, Hamas rejected every agreement between the PA and Israel -- and then stood by in wonder as its international financing dried up. While it's getting more difficult to predict whether Israel will pursue appeasement these days -- it seems to be Ehud Olmert's new hobby -- it would be political suicide to release tax revenues to the PA while it still refused to abide by all treaties and agreements, including the Olso requirement to recognize Israel's legitimacy.

Captain Ed end's his piece with the following:

The Palestinians prove that they are the worst-led people on the planet. Rather than abandon the PA, they would be much better served by voting for statesmen and not terrorists of any stripe. Instead, they're looking to abdicate responsibility ... again.

Most of the Palestinians that have this potential have immigrated to other countries, including one Edward Said. Unfortunately, he died a few years ago. I have no doubt that there are others of his caliber whom I am not familiar with.

When I lived in the Bay Area, I had the pleasure of being acquainted with a number of Palestinians (and, yes, I know some in Minnesota as well), one of whom, Fuad Nijim, if he were to take on the challenge, has the potential of being one such statesman.

Meanwhile, so long as the bulk of Palestinians continues to elect and support terrorists as their leaders, then they shall reap what they sow. Bad government, war with its most powerful neighbor (who only wants peace), poverty, and a continued drain on their brain trust, as those with the smarts to do so, will continue to move to other countries. And as long as Hamas and other terrorist factions are running the PA, then there should be no funding of the PA from the United States, Israel, or any other international source.

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Palestinian Authority
Hamas
Captain's Quarters

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FoxNews has a short article quoting Dunsel Kofi Annan that most Middle East leaders believe that the liberation of Iraq is a disaster.

Annan said many leaders believed the United States should stay until Iraq improves, while others, such as Iran, said the United States should leave immediately. That means that the United States has found itself in the difficult position where "it cannot stay and it cannot leave."

Interesting to note that Iran is identified as a country that believes the United States should abandon Iraq immediately. Just a guess, but I bet Syria is on that list as well.

I can understand why Iran wants the U.S. out of the region: with the U.S. out of the region, it will be easier to continue refining Uranium as well as continued border harassment of the Iraqi military, such as what was reported a couple of days ago in the World Tribune, where seven Iraqi soldiers were kidnapped Iranian soldiers and taken into Iran.

On Sept. 7, officials said, an Iraqi border patrol spotted an Iranian outpost in Iraqi territory. A clash ensued and the seven Iraqi soldiers were captured and taken into Iran, they said.

With the U.S. and coalition forces out of the way, how long before these "border incidents" turn into an all out war between Iraq and Iran?

Back to Dunsel Annan:

"Most of the leaders I spoke to felt the invasion of Iraq and its aftermath has been a real disaster for them," Annan said. "They believe it has destabilized the region."

Like, the region was stable BEFORE the liberation of Iraq? Hussein and his regime murdered some 500,000 Iraqis…and that's stability?

Meanwhile, at the Multi-Nation Force Iraq website, there is more good news from Iraq, including a piece on the carpture of a terrorist weapons cache.

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Kofi Annan
Iraq
Iran
Middle East

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Looks like the Democrats are dead set on sending the ethically challenged Keith Ellison to Congress. From the Red Star Tribune:

But Ellison found himself facing questions about his ties to Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan in the 1990s, in part because of his work helping organize the Million Man March. After he eased those concerns, he found himself explaining his messy personal affairs -- dozens of unpaid parking tickets, a driver's license suspension, unpaid federal income taxes and campaign finance reports that didn't get filed.

I have to ask, will he be disbarred for all of these violations, or is it all just hunky-dory because he is a
Democrat?

Just goes to show, the fastest way to corruption in Congress is to send someone who is already corrupt to Congress.

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Keith Ellison
Congress
Corruption
Party of Corruption

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SurveyUSA has Lieberman ahead in the Connecticut Senatorial racew by 13 points.

The breakdown is:

Schlesinger (R) at 7%
Lamont (D) at 38%
Lieberman (I) at 51%

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It's amazing what the Democratic Operatives would have you believe…this from Susan Estrich(FoxNews), the campaign manager for the failed Dukakis presidential campaign:

This is not the anniversary the Republicans would have liked. People are not spending it reminding themselves how much safer they feel because George W. Bush is president. The traditional Republican lead on national security has evaporated, along with their advantages on every other measure of leadership.

She also purports that the GOP has lost its lead on national security, as well as on "every other measure of leadership," whatever that means.

Last I checked, Republicans are still at the forefront on the issue of national security and winning the Global War on Terrorism, as well as securing liberty in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

Headway has been made in judicial appointments, most notably with to appointees to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The economy continues to grow, and the tax cuts continue to aid in this growth.

This is not like 2004, when the Republicans couldn't schedule their convention close enough to September 11.

In terms of time or location.

It gets better:

But in politics you don't look back, not when you're in an election year. For Republicans, there is only one question at this point: What can you do in six weeks to rescue the troops?

Make no mistake. These are desperate times for Republicans. They stand on the verge of losing both Houses of Congress. Americans are disgusted both with the administration and with Congress, with Republicans coming and going. You can't sit at the helm, control all three branches of power, and then look around at a country that feels it's headed in the wrong direction and avoid responsibility.

Will the GOP lose control of both Houses of Congress in November? Doubtful. Whether or not the GOP is able to add to its margin remains to be seen, but I don't believe that the majority in either House will change.

She makes a statement that "Americans are disgusted with both the administration and with Congress," as a blanket statement. There are some people are disgusted only because we have a GOP president and majorities in both Houses. Let's face it, the "hate Bush" crowd are the ones that are disgusted, not the general population as a whole as Estrich wants us to believe.

If the country is headed in the wrong direction, it is because the Democrats in Congress continue to play partisan politics, blocking real progress in America, from securing our borders, winning the war on terror, aiding our allies, especially the fledgling government of Iraq, making the tax cuts permanent, privatizing Social Security, and a host of other issues.

So what Republicans will do is unleash a barrage of negative ads. Put on your raincoat. Mud everywhere. Whatever they can find. Garbage. Whatever works. New lows. It's the only option.

Why is it that the Democrats always accuse the Republicans of mud-slinging, when, far more often than not, it is the other way around.

Slogans like "Bush Lied, People Died," is not mud-slinging?

Let's face it, Estrich is a high-level Democratic operative who is frustrated that the DNC's far-left ideals and cut-and-run philosophy isn't getting any traction with the vast majority of Americans who are in the middle.

I wonder what the October Surprise that she is expecting will be? I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Tags:

Politics
Republican Party
GOP
George Bush
Dubya
Democratic Party

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I haven't had a Moonbat Award in a while, call it being too busy with family things. Today marks the return of the Moonbat Award with a recipient that is truly deserving of the honor…Rocky Anderson, Mayor of Salt Lake City, Utah. From Deseretnews.com:

In delivering the speech at the anti-war rally, Anderson said: "So James Evans and these folks who financed this massive radio campaign these last few days, let them understand that blind faith in bad leaders is not patriotism. A patriot does not tell people who are intensely concerned about their country to just sit down and be quiet; to refrain from speaking out in the name of politeness or for the sake of being a good host; to show slavish, blind obedience and deference to a dishonest, war-mongering, human-rights-violating president."

It is interesting to note the reference to James Evans, who is a black Republican and the reference to "slavish" devotion to the president. This is a racist statement if ever there was one.

Add to this the rest of the statement, "dishonest, war-mongering, human-rights-violating president." Granted, he is entitled to his opinion, but needs to defend it. Anderson is referring to President Bush, not former President Clinton. Had this been in reference to a black Democrat and his "slavish" devotion to the war-mongering, dishonest, philandering President Clinton, the outrage would be tremendous, with reverberations throughout the Main Stream Media and demands from every Democrat for an immediate retraction and apology.

That single quote s probably the most important one from the speech warranting the awarding of the Moonbat to Mayor Rocky Anderson. There is more:

The truth has been established. Iraq had nothing to do with the 9/11 attacks on the United States. There is no evidence of any operational ties between Iraq and al Qaeda. And there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

What a tragedy, leading to greater tragedy. We are fed lie after lie, our
media reinforces those lies, and we are a nation led to a tragic, illegal, unprovoked
war.

And this guy calls Bush a liar?!

Congratulations Mayor Rocky Anderson…you are a Moonbat.
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salt lake city
Rocky Anderson
Moonbat

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Today is a solemn day: it is September 11th, 2006, the Fifth Anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Along with the gallant heroes of UA Flight 93, who sacrificed their lives in an attempt to regain control of that aircraft rather than see it slammed into yet another building, over 3,000 people of different nationalities were murdered by Al Qaeda terrorists. Today is a day to remember and honor those who sacrificed their lives trying to save thousands of people who were in the Twin Towers of the WTC; firefighters, police and other first responders, who went into those burning buildings knowing there was a high probability that they, themselves, may well not get out alive.

It is a time to remember the cheers that rang out through the Muslim world, from the Palestinian Territories to Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan; the terrorists and their supporters who celebrated these brutal attacks and the murder of thousands of people in the name of their god. They celebrated in the streets, firing guns into the air, and honoring the murdering thugs that carried out the attacks, calling them heroes and martyrs.

The real heroes were on the ground in New York and Washington D.C. and the real martyrs the passengers on United 93 who attempted to wrest control of that aircraft away from the terrorists.

9/11 was one more attack on America in the jihad that Islamic terrorists have been carrying on for decades; it does not matter whether it was the bombing of airliners over Scotland or a restaurant near Madrid carried out by Libyan terrorists, or the bombing of a German disco; the string of suicide bombings in Israel; or the ’93 bombing of the WTC which marked the rise of Osama bin Ladin and Al Qaeda and lead to the bombings of U.S. embassies and the U.S.S. Cole, and culminating in the attacks on 9/11. It is all the same to them; war on the West, war on America.

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9/11
Al Qaeda
World Trade Center
United Flight 93

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As usual, the Democrats have cried "foul" and circled the wagons around their playboy icon, President "T.S. Willie" Clinton. The impending broadcast of 'Path to 9/11" is the current target of their venom.

HotAir has an email that was sent out by DNC Executive Director, Tom McMahon. Here's a clip from the email being circulated:

The suits at ABC and the Walt Disney Company have started panicking under pressure, thanks to your ferocious response to the outrageous decision to put this irresponsible miniseries on the air. But until Disney quits defending its plan to broadcast conservative propaganda - fraudulently presented to Americans as "based on the 9/11 Commission Report" - the company should plan to keep taking every bit of heat we dish out.

The "suits?" Look who's talking! Yes, the "suits" at ABC and Disney are freaking out, why is beyond me. Broadcasting conservative propaganda? So it is okay to broadcast liberal propaganda such as "West Wing" and "Commander in Chief," but anything that is critical of how the Clinton administration in how it dealt with Al Qaeda and international terrorism, is fraudulent and constitutes conservative propaganda. Give me a break!

According to reports on various news sites and blogs, I have no doubt have been read by many, great efforts were taken to get it right (and is correct, not conservative), including in depth analysis of the 9/11 Report on which much of the material for the mini-series was gleaned.

However, the Democrats would have America believe that they did everything they could to take out Osama bin Ladin, yet the facts say otherwise, from the time when the Sudan offered to extradite bin Ladin to the U.S. to the numerous times our military had him in pour "sights." T.S. Willie's response was a playboy attitude of being to busy to be bothered with it (read "Dereliction of Duty" for detailed description of one such instance), preferring to treat international terrorism as a law enforcement issue, rather than as war, just as the Islamo-Fascists have been calling it.

It is shameful that ABC and Walt Disney Company would capitulate to this pressure to censor this production that is so important to the American Public. Doing so shows that they are just another gutless bunch of posers, sacrificing history for political expediency.

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Path to 9/11
ABC
Walt Disney Company
Clinton Administration
DNC

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Well, the DFL slime machine is at it again. This week, they are claiming that Congressman Mark Kennedy voted to increase federal spending by $3.6 TRILLION. What they count as a major part of that "spending" is making the Bush tax cuts permanent. Apparently, in the eyes of the left, this constitutes spending. I call it returning to the American people what RIGHTFULLY belongs to them.

Here's a clip from the DFL website(http://www.dfl.org/index.asp?Type=B_PR&SEC=%7B0F9701BD-A72C-4F2C-9DEE-22ACBB7367C2%7D&DE=%7B4062FE0C-89DD-4751-B67C-FE357F7352C5%7D sorry about the long URL...not real keen on linking to the DFL site):

If you add up the cost of only eleven of the one hundred plus proposals in Kennedy's plan, Kennedy's plan will cost the taxpayers at least $3.6 trillion. Only Mark Kennedy would say that $3.6 trillion in government spending is an "insignificant cost."

"Congressman Kennedy is campaigning on his 'fiscal responsibility' but has not taken the time to calculate the cost of his plan or explain how he is going to pay for it," Minnesota DFL Chair Brian Melendez said. "Only a big-spending Washington insider would think that $3.6 trillion is an 'insignificant cost.' One look at the federal budget tells us that we need someone in the U.S. Senate who understands the implications of $3.6 trillion in spending, and Mark Kennedy clearly doesn't understand."

Estimates Of Even A Few Items From Congressman Kennedy's Plan Could Total $3.6 Trillion Dollars

Congressman Kennedy voted for budgets that increased the national debt by $2.7 trillion. And now Kennedy is proposing at least another $3.6 trillion in spending without telling anyone how he will pay for any of it.

The hit piece then goes into an outline of some of the spending, number one being:

1. The Total Cost To Extend All Of the Bush Tax Cuts Would Be $3.3 Trillion Over 10 Years. The total cost of making the tax cuts permanent was said to be $3.3 trillion over 10 years. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, "[T]he total cost of making the tax cuts permanent, including the related interest costs, would be $3.3 trillion over the ten-year period.." [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 3/15/06, (http://www.cbpp.org/2-6-06tax.htm)]

Leave it to the Liberal Left to tell you that tax cuts are the same as Federal spending. The numbers presented for the tax cuts may well be accurate estimates; what it fails to note is that since the tax cuts were implemented tax revenues INCREASED.

However, the Party of Doom and Gloom would have Americans believe that these tax cuts are expensive and should be rolled back, after which there is little doubt that they will find ways to seize and spend even more of our hard earned dollars.

The other 10 items use estimates to come up with roughly $300 billion in spending; just one thing to remember, these are estimates. Estimates rarely reflect reality, except when government entities decide they actually have to spend that kind of money (and these bureaucrats often believe they HAVE to spend it) even if it is not necessary.

Just another indication that campaign season is in full swing.

Tags:

Mark Kennedy
mn senate 2006
DFL
Tax Cuts
Taxes

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Today marks the 40th Anniversary of Star Trek. It was on September 8th, 1966, that Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise hit the air waves.

For 40 years, Star Trek has not only entertained us, but also inspired us, seeking careers in sciences as well as the arts. It is a series that issued the ultimate challenge: "To Boldly Go Where No Man Has Gone Before." And many friends of mine have done exactly that, including working on numerous NASA projects, from the Space Shuttle and the Hubble Telescope to the Cassini mission to Saturn and it's solar neighborhood.

Others have pursued varying other aspects of the sciences, from mathematics and computer science, the biochemistry and engineering. Others also chose military service, whether as a career or for a term of duty (I am in the latter group…four years in the Air Force).

How many people Trek has influenced in their choice of careers, as a result of being "hooked on Trek," is unknown. Certainly, there are many, as I recall Nichelle Nichols talking at one convention about a young woman who was inspired by the character of Uhura.

I remember the very first time I got to watch an episode of Stsr Trek. It was first season summer reruns, the episode "Arena," in which Kirk must battle with the alien Gorn in single combat. I remember that during the school year leading up to my first viewing of Trek; there were kids in my class who would play Star Trek during recess, proclaiming which role they would take with cries of "I'm Kirk" and "I'm Spock" leaving me mystified as I had yet to see Star Trek. They would then ask if I wanted to be a Klingong, then tell me that I am their prisoner, leaving me asking, "what's a Klingon?" I had no idea what lay in store for me ten years done the line.

Yes, I have been involved in Star Trek fandom for many years. It has been fun in many ways. It's been a part of my life for many years, and, I suspect, will continue to do so for years to come.

Forty years is a long time for a show that lasted three seasons and 79 episodes. It's been a long ride, and worth every minute. I hate to think what this world would be like if we never had Star Trek.

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Star Trek

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Last night was the monthly rendezvous with the Townhall Meetup group.

Since we've been abandoned by the parent organization yet again, and this time, probably for good, we are assuming that we are on our own for coming up with discussion points.

We had several hot-button discussions last night, beginning with the philosophical difference between a Libertarian and a Conservative. Tom, one of the resident Libertarians, took up that part of the discussion. The reason this topic came up is that Tracy, our fearful leader, mentioned being asked or a simple explanation of the difference. This was not an issue by issue discussion, but trying to determine a fundamental difference in philosophy. The discussion also hit on Objectivism and how it fits in.

After that, it was off to recent event in Iraq and Iran, and the question of what to do about Iran's nuclear ambitions and its potential role in nuclear terrorism.

All in all, a good night. As always, if you haven't checked the group out, and are interested, come on down. Although the group is mostly conservatives and Libertarians, we have had a few Liberals show up on occasion.

Posted by Sqotty at 7:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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FoxNews is running an article on the current round of speeches the President is making:

President Bush sent a message to Congress and the nation Thursday, declaring that America is committed to defeating terrorism and winning "the decisive ideological struggle of the 21st Century."

Bush, in the third straight day of speeches aimed at reasserting the administration's plans for wining the War on Terror, told an audience in Atlanta that "we've learned the lessons of 9/11."

"We've transferred adversaries into allies," Bush told the Georgia Public Policy Foundation, in a reference to Iraq and Afghanistan. "America is safer and America is winning the War on Terror."

As the president stated, America is safer and winning the war on terror. But it ain’t over yet.

As long as we continue to elect leaders that understand that the terrorist thugs that have been plaguing Western Civilization for decades must be defeated, then we should be able to win the "War on Terror." To falter from the course of victory, to abandon fledgling allies such as Iraq and Afghanistan, or to blame America for the ills of the world is tantamount to handing victory to Al Qaeda and the enemies of Liberty.

Bush has also continued to push Congress to approve plans to try Gitmo detainees using a military tribunal. He has called on Congress to lay down the rules and outline how to achieve this goal of dealing with dangerous suspected terrorist thugs. These suspects include Khalid Sheik Mohammed, who is believed to be the primary architect of the attacks of 9/11.

"The sooner the Congress authorizes the military commissions I have called for, the sooner Khalid Sheik Mohammed will receive the justice he deserves," Bush said.

As long as he isn’t able to enjoy his "74 virgins in paradise," I am all for his receiving his just deserts. It is up to Congress to get things rolling, and to stop stonewalling the wheels of justice.

"Free nations are peaceful nations," he said. "Democracies do not attack each other... and are less likely to fall under the sway of radicalism," a reference to the recent war between Israel and Hezbollah radicals who have attempted to seize control of Lebanon.

When you look at the wars fought since the Great War, they were all started by, or in response to, totalitarian regimes: WW2 by Germany, Japan and Italy; The Korean War by North Korea, China and the U.S.S.R.; Vietnam by North Vietnam against the fledgling South Vietnam, later abandoned to the communists, along with its neighbors, Laos, Cambodia, to succumb to the darkness of totalitarianism; every conflict in Central and South America was started by communist insurgents; every conflict between Israel and its neighbors, where one side was a democracy fighting for its life versus a number of totalitarian nations allied against it. The list of conflicts goes on and on.

By establishing the foothold of Democracy deep in the Islamic World as is being achieved in Iraq and Afghanistan, we are paving the way to peace and freedom throughout that region. Hopefully it will take root and flourish.

Tags:

Iraq
War on Terror
Military
Bush

Posted by Sqotty at 9:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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The Main Stream Media is ablaze with the news that command of Iraq’s military has been turned over to its government. This is, roughly, three and a half years after coalition forces entered Iraq to remove a murderous and tyrannical regime, and helping build a government built on respecting the rights of the people.

As Iraq continues to take on the mantle of governing itself, taking control of its military also serves as a milestone toward a withdrawal of U.S. forces current aiding Iraq in maintaining its borders and fighting against the terrorist thugs that have been operating inside that country for the past several years.

Perhaps the rabid Left will begin calling for a time-line for withdrawal. Any definitive date of withdrawal will not be soon enough to satisfy the Left; however, it is possible that any premature withdrawal, while there are still so many terrorists operating in that country, with Iraq’s neighbors continue to pour more men and materials into Iraq in the hopes of destabilizing the government, and attempting to fragment it, may prove disastrous, not only to the people of Iraq, but to the entire region.

I have no doubt that the Left, who blames the terrorist activities on the U.S. invasion, fervently believe that the terrorists will go home and return to peaceful activities. Unfortunately, that is the least likely scenario to come about when the U.S. led coalition returns to their own homes.

We have been dealing with terrorist attacks against the United States for decades prior to the Liberation of Iraq. If we fail to deliver a decisive blow to the terrorists, one that terminates not only their leadership, but their infrastructure and will to continue their global war of terror (a.k.a., Jihad), then they will filter out of Iraq and continue their war of hate and murder as they have for decades past, making it harder to defeat them. They will be emboldened to use whatever means to spread their evil, including nuclear weapons once they can obtain sufficient quantities from either Iran or from North Korea. Or from any other party that hates the U.S. and is able to supply it without showing their hand. I hope it never comes to that, but it may.

If we stay the course long enough to defeat the terrorists on their home court, get Iraq fully established as a Westernized country (which the Islamo-Fascists will rail against, just as they did against the Shah of Iran before the Carter Administration abandoned him to his enemies, giving rise to the tyrannical Islamo-Fascists that now control Iran), deal with Iran – decisively, then, maybe, we can claim significant victories in the Global War on Terror.

"The Iraqi Army today is rebuilt again away from sectarian violence," al-Maliki said at the ceremony.

Power to the People of Iraq!

Tags:

Iraq
War on Terror
Military

Posted by Sqotty at 9:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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There seem to be a few Republicans that are joining the Party of Cut and Run…this off of FoxNews:

Perhaps no other Republican exemplifies this subtle position shift more than Rep. Chris Shays, R-Conn., who surprised everyone recently by calling for a "timeframe" for U.S withdrawal from Iraq.

"I believe that our troops cannot be there indefinitely. I believe we need to have a sense of when our troops can withdraw," Shays told reporters.

This was considered quite a shift, as Shays - recognized widely as an independent moderate unafraid of bucking the party line - had gone to Iraq 14 times and, until the last time, had always returned with a sense of progress and an insistence that timetables were inappropriate.

I call this pandering to the Left in order to win votes. When Shays claims we cannot keep troops there indefinitely, what about the troops we have kept in Germany, Japan and other countries since 1945? Are we going to withdraw from those countries as well?

The difference between the maintaining troops in Iraq and Germany is that Iraq is unpopular with a part of the electorate who don't get that we in Iraq to eliminate terrorists operating in Iraq (a regrettable attitude is that it is better to fight them over there than over here), and preventing the country from sliding into a civil war and reverting back to a totalitarian regime, possibly even a Muslim Fundamentalist regime such as that which rules Iran. With Iran pouring "insurgents" and arms across the border, and more coming from Syria, ask yourself, is abandoning Iraq a good idea?

What would a premature withdrawal from Iraq tell the enemies of liberty? That the United States does not have the will carry out its promises. That the United States cannot be relied upon to help those in need. Pull out too early, and Iraq may fall back into tyranny. And the terrorists will focus their efforts on attacking America directly again, having regained one of their training grounds and supporters.

The kind of rhetoric that Shays is spouting is the same as one expects to come from Murtha, Pelosi and other members of the Party of Neville Chamberlain, not the GOP.

Okay, Shays, Murtha and others, calling for a withdrawal from Iraq…how about setting a timetable for when we withdrawal from Germany first?

Tags:

Iraq
War on Terror
Germany
Military Occupation
Chris Shays
Cut and Run

Posted by Sqotty at 10:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
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Steve Irwin, better known to the world as the "Crocodile Hunter" was killed by a stingray on the Barrier Reef. His showmanship and charismatic presentation of different species of wildlife made him famous and enabled him to pursue the work he loves.

His loss will be greatly felt.

Posted by Sqotty at 8:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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FoxNews is running a piece on an “American” who has changed his allegiance to Al Qaeda and taken sides against his former nation in the Global War on Terror.

An American who allegedly joined Al Qaeda appeared in a videotape along with the terror group's deputy leader on Saturday, calling on Americans to covert to Islam and for U.S. soldiers to switch sides in the Iraq and Afghan wars.

The 48-minute video, posted on an Islamic militant Web site, had footage of Al Qaeda's number two, Ayman al-Zawahiri and of Adam Yehiye Gadahn, a 28-year-old American who the FBI believes attended Al Qaeda training camps in Pakistan and served as an Al Qaeda translator.

It was the second time Gadahn has appeared in the same video with al-Zawahiri. In a July 7 video marking the one-year anniversary of bombings against the London transit system, Gadahn appeared briefly, saying no Muslim should "shed tears" for Westerners killed by Al Qaeda attacks.

Saturday's message came days before the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks in the United States.

Gadahn spoke for nearly the entire video, wearing white robes and a white turban, sitting in front of a desk with a computer and Islamic religious books in a room with a white wall. He delivered a lecture on Islam and "errors" in Christianity and Judaism, and the video included no direct threats of terror attacks.

He said the United States was losing the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and addressed U.S. soldiers who he said were fighting President George W. Bush's "crusades."

"Instead of killing yourself for Bush ... why not surrender to the truth (of Islam), escape from the unbelieving army and join the winning side. Time is running out so make the right choice before it's too late," he said.

Al-Zawahiri opened the video with a call to Americans to covert to Islam, giving up our true faith (be it Christian, Judaism, Buddhist, or whatever) in exchange for a “faith” that is the faith of darkness and death as personified by the Islamo-facists that has usurped control of Islam.

As for Gadahn, he defected to the forces of evil that is Al Qaeda shortly after the events of Sept. 11, 2001, and has been sought after by the FBI concerning possible terrorist threats against the United States.

Gadahn, having taken sides with the enemy has in effect lost his citizen ship (taking up arms against the United States) and should be treated accordingly (enemy combatant, terrorist thug, or what ever other name is appropriate, including traitor).

Gadahn is considered to be someone who can talk to Americans using our own language. Here’s an example:

"You know that if you die as an unbeliever in battle against the Muslims you're going straight to Hell without passing 'Go,"' Gadahn said, addressing American soldiers. "You know you're considered by Bush and his bunch of warmongers as nothing more than expendable cannon fodder ... You know they couldn't care less about your safety and well-being."

He is wrong in is assertion that Americans who are not Muslims will go to Hell. Nor does the Bush administration consider our troops to be “cannonfodder.” If anything, the “foot soldiers,” those foolish enough to be convinced that throwing away their lives in suicide attacks, or combating the Coalition forces are the REAL cannonfodder.

The leadership of al-Qaeda, whether we are talking about Osama bin Ladin, al-Zawahiri, or the traitor Gadahn, are murdering, warmongering butchers that consider their followers to be cannonfodder at worst, and pawns in their own personal campaign against Western Civilization.

I end this with a question: has the State Department terminated Gadahn’s citizenship? Gadahn’s siding with the enemy warrants such action.

Tags:

Al Qaeda
War on Terror
Osama bin Ladin
Ayman al-Zawahiri
Adam Yehiye Gadahn
Iraq
Traitor
Islamo-Facist

Posted by Sqotty at 11:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Christianity and Conservatism are both under attack by a Liberal Left-wing professor in a new book, which I may have to go to the library and pick up, as I will not buy it. According to the article/interview, Randall Balmer claims to be a traditional Evangelical and honors the teachings of Jesus Christ. Okay, in honesty, I try to practice Christ's teachings, but am far from perfect.

Here's how the article opens (Red Star Tribune):

Balmer argues that the religious right has hijacked evangelical Christianity and entered an unholy union with conservative Republicans, an assertion that has infuriated some evangelicals and won emotional praise from others.

"Unholy union with Conservative Republicans," give me a break! Because a large percent of the Evangelicals voted for Bush in both 2000 and 2004, and are moving more and more to the right, does NOT constitute an "unholy union."

The actual interview questions gets even better…When asked why he wrote the book "They Kingdom Come," Balmer responded:

I awoke on Nov. 3, 2004, the day after the re-election of George W. Bush, with something like a hangover -- and I hadn't been drinking. I had to decide at that point whether to retreat into my very comfortable life as a tenured professor or to try to do something to change this country's ruinous course. What rankled me most, even more than the outcome of the election itself, was the widespread assumption on the part of my fellow evangelicals that it was something akin to a sin to vote for anyone other than the incumbent, a man whose policies, in my judgment and despite his protestations of faith, are morally bankrupt.

Seriously, I don't know anyone who claims to be an Evangelical that claims it was anything remotely sinful to vote for someone other than Bush. I know some left-wing nuts who believe it should be a crime to have voted for Bush, but no one who believes that about voting for Kerry.

It gets even better, as Balmer continues on with this tidbit:

Evangelicals throughout most of American history engaged in political and social activism on behalf of those on the margins of society. I'm thinking here of the antislavery movement, the temperance crusade (a progressive cause in the 19th century), public education, advocating equal rights for women and trying to mitigate the effects of predatory capitalism around the turn of the 20th century. Only relatively recently, with the rise of the religious right in the late 1970s, have evangelicals drifted toward the political right.

Public education was brought about by what today would be termed a "progressive movement," and this had a great impact on America when it came about. However, public education has been seized by the left-wing "liberals" of this country and since the '60s we have watched the quality of our public education system deteriorate. The answer tauted by the left = more taxation, instead of focusing on hiring quality teachers and validating their skills, or allowing the average American where their tax money goes when it comes to educating their children - like school choice vouchers.

Mitigating the effects of "predatory" capitalism? Sounds like Karl Marx talking here. Capitalism is a major component that defines whether r not a society is free. Government control, whether it be through any of the three major forms of Socialism (Communism, State Socialism, Facism) are designed to seize our liberties by limiting the effect of capitalism, or eliminating capitalism altogether.

It is too simplistic to say that evangelicals have drifted to the political right along with the rise of the so-called religious right. How about looking at the policies and goals of the left vs. those of the right?

The left wants more government control; wants to tax the middle-class into oblivion, even though it is those "evil rich people" they say they want to screw. They fail to understand the economic impact of raising taxes on the instruments of capitalism, corporations, only hurts all Americans as that tax is passed on to the consumer in the form of higher prices at the cash register.

Jesus taught that we, as individuals, should always help those in need, and REAL evangelicals, and Christians of all varieties (and also, many non-Christians, whether religious or not) practice those teachings. Charity should come from the individual, and not from the state.

So, yes, I am a traditional evangelical; it is the right-wing zealots of the religious right who have hijacked my faith. They have taken the gospel, the "good news" of the New Testament, which I consider lovely and redemptive, and turned it into something ugly and punitive.

All he is is an agree man who hates Bush, Republicans, and conservatives in general.

Do I really need to read his book?

Tags:

Randall Balmer
Religious Right
Red Star Tribune
Bush

Posted by Sqotty at 8:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
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More of the things you won't see in the Main Stream Media. Off of the Multi-National Force - Iraq site:

CAMP AL ASAD, Iraq (Aug. 30, 2006) - U.S. Marines detained 16 confirmed insurgents and 24 suspected insurgents yesterday throughout the Haditha Triad region in western Al Anbar Province, Iraq.

Marines from the Hawaii-based 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, known as "America's Battalion," captured the known and suspected insurgents during both routine and pre-planned counterinsurgency operations in the "Triad" region.

Some of the insurgents captured are known for intimidating the local populace, attacking Coalition and Iraqi forces, and providing logistical support to local insurgents. In one captured insurgent's home, a Marine patrol discovered various materials used to construct improvised explosive devices (IEDs), an AK-47 assault rifle with multiple round cartridges and binoculars.

Furthermore, a U.S scout sniper team fired upon anti-Iraqi forces, which were firing upon a Marine M1A1 tank on a road in Haditha. Two of the insurgents were killed; one was critically wounded and medically evacuated to a U.S. military medical facility for treatment. This follows a day after a separate scout sniper engagement which resulted in one insurgent being killed while digging a hole in a spot where numerous IEDs have recently been discovered or detonated.

"The Battalion's successes over the last several days are really the result of the anti-Iraqi forces conducting attacks out of desperation. They see the growing capability of the Iraqi Army and recent fielding of the Iraqi Police a