Regarding "No Child Left Behind"

Captain Ed reports .

Excerpt referring to the NEA radicalization of our public school values in the last 40 years or so:

"Teachers flunked students who weren't ready for the next grade level before schools started worring about socialization ahead of education. The plethora of high-school students who cannot read or write above a grade-school level demonstrates the damage that these policies have created, especially considering the amount of teacher involvement it takes to handle the low-performing students."


When you combine this effect with the impulse of school systems everywhere to continue to ask for more money most of the time , and the bureaucratic statism found in such systems, it's clear that major reform is desperately need.

The answer is NOT "more money" by itself.

It would appear that nowhere are these statement more true than in Guilford County.

Noteworthy

Noteworthy

Looks Like Reconquista Is Taking a Page or Two From the Hezbollah/Hamas Playbook

Read the story.

Key excerpts:

"One sign proclaimed 'Stolen continent' - yet displayed two continents, North and South America. 'White racists this is our continent' read one sign. Another said, 'We will never live in peace until we get the European squatters off our lands.'"

"But when you have virulent protests that include a pre-teen boy yelling 'f- that white b-' at a passing fair-skinned woman - me - something is seriously wrong. Especially when it comes from the side holding a banner that proclaimed 'Say NO to racism.'"

How long will it be until this morphs into full blown terrorism?

WSJ on the Plame Blame Game Flameout

Details here.

Noteworthy:

"Bush opponents have continued to promote this myth, with Mr. Wilson writing in June 2004 that 'the conspiracy to destroy us was most likely conceived--and carried out--within the office of the vice president of the United States.' Not a word of that was true."

Isn't it amazing how the Lame Stream Media and the Nutroot/Lefty blogsphere has managed to avoid giving this story the same amount of push that they gave the slime, lies and innuendo they promulgated when the non story about the non scandal originally broke?

Imagine that!

All in all, it's just another Brick in the Wall.....

Interpreting Census Numbers on Income, Poverty, Health insurance

From Cato.

Excerpts:

"For the first time since 1999, Americans have seen an increase in the amount of money in their pockets,"

Looks like the effects of the Clinton Recession have FINALLY been overcome.

"Poverty fell and remained lower in 2005 than at any point in the 17 years leading up to welfare reform. But as Congress kept expanding government health programs, health insurance and health care have grown less affordable, as reflected by the growing number of Americans without health insurance."

"Contrary to a common misimpression, there is no clear evidence of increased income inequality in the Census data. The percentage of pretax income earned by the top 5 percent, for example, has fluctuated insignificantly from 21 to 22 percent ever since the Census adopted new sampling methods in 1993."

So much for the Standard Lefty Talking Points on these items.

Not that this revelation will stop the Dems from playing the predictable class/income/race card, even though it's demonstrably fraudulent.

Uh Oh! Thinks Are Not So Rosy in LaLa Land After All

One of the Dems'favorite "he's-not-Hillary" candidates expresses some frustration.

Advice to the Would-be Candidate: Dump the Kos Krowd.

The Nutroots are dangerous.

Dems Take Inspiration from George Orwell

Their Success Is Failure nonsense could have come right from one of his great literary themes.

Excerpt:

"As Vice President Dick Cheney pointed out this week to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, terrorists since 9-11 'have successfully carried out attacks in Casablanca, Jakarta, Mombasa, Bali, Riyadh, Baghdad, Istanbul, Madrid, London, Sharm al-Sheikh, Bombay and elsewhere. Here in the U.S., we have not had another 9-11.'"


And the lefty apologists and their BDS suffering pals have the audacity to say that the Administration is politicizing the terror problems!

Unbelievable!

Sounds Like We're Talking About Guilford County Schools Here

If the shoe fits......

Excerpt:

"Yes, the 'mo’ money' mantra from the education bureaucrats and their enablers on the Left has grown old. But if significantly higher education spending comes with spending offsets in other departments, combined with serious education repairs which break the government-school monopoly on education, it might be worth considering."

C'mon, Dems! Let's Get Busy on THIS Issue!

What's our exit strategy in Philadelphia?

Noteworthy:



"Young black males have a greater chance of being murdered in Philadelphia than a US soldier has of getting killed in the Iraq!



"But one can also find something equivalent to combat conditions on home soil. The death rate for African American men ages 20 to 34 in Philadelphia was 4.37 per 1,000 in 2002, 11 percent higher than among troops in Iraq. Slightly more than half the Philadelphia deaths were homicides."



Quagmire!

Civil War!

It's all Bush's fault!

Bush lied, Philadelphia blacks died!

It's a racist plot to flood the city!
(oh wait, wrong city)

Barone on the Changes in the Political Wind

It's tied up in the fact the Dems STILL don't get it when it comes to the War on Terror, and national security. That's something the rest of us have known for quite some time.

Excerpt:


"The Lamont victory -- and the rejection of the party's 2000 vice presidential nominee -- sharpened the contrast between the two major parties."

In addition to reminding us that the Dems have NO plan to combat terrorism, NO plans to secure the middle east......well, the list goes on and on, doesn't it?

Plamegate Blows Up on the "Get Rove/Cheney" Crowd

As was speculated by many, it was Armitage who gave out the name of Joker Joe's non-covert, complicit CIA Desk Jockey wife.

Excerpt:

"That Washington could be roiled for months by such a silly non-story speaks volumes about the lack of seriousness that infects many of our journalists, pundits and politicians."

Including virtually everyone on the Left Side of the blogsphere.

It isn't any fun that it was Armitage, who was the darling of the lefties for his opposition to Administration policies.

Fitzmas has been PERMANENTLY cancelled, boys and girls.

Unity

I'm sure this will make too much sense. for some people to take seriously.

I disagee with 90 percent of what Joe Lieberman believes in. But I agree with this:


"For too long the capital has been a place of partisan sniping and political finger-pointing, where games of 'gotcha' are played as blood sport. Today, working across party lines to get things done for our constituents is actually looked down upon inside the Beltway."

If It's A "Big Deal", Like They Claim, Then WHY Do they oppose The cures?

Anyone got a clue?

"Hypocrisy" you say?

Nah.....not from THEM! Unthinkable!

Cue the usual True Believer responses.

So The ACLU Thinks the Price is "Too High"?

"Can you imagine anything so degrading and humiliating for an American citizen?"

You bet.

So tell me.....exactly how low should the price be?

Looney Toon 9-11 Conspiracies CONTINUE to Abound

Common sense and facts never stopped these loonies from whipping themselves up into a frenzy over suppoosed government conspiracies.

And the Left accuses the Bush Administration of political scare tactics over terrorism!

You need to look to your fruitcake fringe first, Lefties.....


Key point at the link:

"For some, the choice between adapting one's worldview to the real world or adapting the real world to one's worldview is a fairly easy call."


Come to think of it, that excerpt also applies to the non-fruitcakes on that side, too.

Ray Nagin Promises He Will Get New Orleans Rebuilt Faster

....than all the other major rebuilding projects. Details here.

Be sure to read the slogan mentioned in comment #3.

"He is Henry A. Wallace with a website."

More on the Nutroots' favorite candidate, Ned the Cable Guy, and the lessons of history.


http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2006/08/henry_wallace_with_a_website.html

Key point:

"I repeat what I have been saying for many months. This is not Democrat vs. Republican. Any Democrat who steps up to the plate for American security could have my vote. This is not a partisan question. It is a question about the deepest principles of American life in our own time.

It is certainly not a partisan question for those thousands of innocent Americans who would have been travelling on those planes going from Great Britain to return home."

Ah, but that's all just "scare tactics" by the Republicans to keep us all riled up over nothing, right?

Hide and Watch the Law of Unintended Consequences bite the Dums in the butt this November.

"Liberal Media Bias? What Liberal Media Bias?"

Part 124, 892,381........

http://www.americanthinker.com/comments.php?comments_id=5934

Sea Change in Global Warming?

The latest in the painful truth about climate change from Pat Michaels.

http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=10273

This particular piece of painful truth is always hard for the True Believers to deal with:

"Be forewarned, though. As we've learned from the completely unexpected cooling of the deep ocean that began in 2003, we know a lot less about climate change than we think."

Lefty Paranoia on Wal Mart Gets Worse

WMDS (Wal Mart Derangement Syndrome) at work.

Joanah Goldberg has the details.

Conclusion:

"It's horrific politics, silly public policy — but a joy to watch."

And how did the Loonies on the Left respond? (hat tip: Instapundit)


Paranoia Strikes Deep Excerpt:

"They've forced Coke to change their secret recipe, Kraft to lay off thousands of employees, and Vlasic to declare bankruptcy. And because Wal-Mart so obsessively pursues the lowest possible prices, they're not only depriving their own workers of generous benefits and compensation, they're making it literally impossible for their producers to do so, as Wal-Mart won't abide by the minor cost differences that on-shore production and respectable benefits demand."


And I bet they're also supressing the cure for the cancer, the miracle 200 mile per gallon car that runs on water, and the fact that we really didn't land on the moon in 1969.

The Stem Cell Hustle

Regardless of your personal position on this issue, read this.

Killer app of point:

"And without credentialed cretins like John Edwards promising miracles, sufferers (and potential sufferers) of all sorts of diseases will have to deal with their reality instead of breathlessly awaiting a miracle that they believe is imminent but that is, at best, far away."

Well, what would we expect differently from the crowd who will say or do anything to regain political, social, economic, and intellectual power in this country?

Can You Say "Conflict of Interest", Your Honor?

More about the ludicrous judge who made that ludicrous recent decision.

Noteworthy:

"In the NSA case, however, the scandal is not one of appearances; it is one of substance. The scandal is Judge Diggs's unprofessional opinion. The opinion is a joke; it wouldn't cut it as a law school paper."

Image of the Day

Mark Warner Counting on Nutroots?

He's hired Kos Kozy Kid Jerome Armstrong, who's not too careful of the money maker friends he keeps, as a "consultant" .

There are some Lefties who think Warner (or John Edwards) looks like a good alternative to Hillary.

These folks are scared to death that the 08 presidential nomination is Hillary's for the asking, and that THAT probability will ensure another 4-8 years out of the White House.

Rudy Giuliani has publicly stated that Hillary is the best fund raiser the Dems have.......and she is ALSO the best fundraiser the Republicans have.

Imagine that!

Sounds like Rudy is relishing the election battle matchup in 08 that he passed up (for health reasons) in 00.

Climate of Fear

How did the long time trend of politicizing "climate change" get started?

http://www.americanthinker.com/articles.php?article_id=5790

Key point:

"The key to looking at climate science is to remain humble, and admit that there is much that we do not know. Without that basic honest humility, the public should remain skeptical of all doomsday scenarios, but especially those which are being used for political gain.
It is also important to recognize that most climate scientists receive their funding either directly or indirectly through federal government grants (e.g. through NASA). To increase funding it helps to have the political class anxious to use their findings as a political club. Climatologists are unusually vulnerable to the temptation to exaggerate to keep the money flowing. "

Is anyone really surprised to find this out?

Quote of the Day

“Many people who complain about the corrupting influence of money never seem to apply that to government money. If high government officials were serious about wanting to know the facts, they could set up an independent statistical agency, along the lines of the General Accounting Office, to do studies of the effects of the policies of the operating agencies.

That would mean that the fox would no longer be in charge of the hen house, whether the fox was the Labor Department, the Commerce Department, or any of the other departments and agencies. It would also mean that various bright ideas originating in Congress or the White House would now be exposed to the risk of being shown to be costly failures or even counterproductive. Whole careers could be ruined among both elected officials and bureaucrats. Don’t hold your breath waiting for it to happen. But do keep that in mind when someone says ‘studies prove...”’


—Thomas Sowell

The first sentence bears repeating:


“Many people who complain about the corrupting influence of money never seem to apply that to government money."

Hmmmm.

Who and what could he be talking about there?

The Greatest Story Never Told

Larry Kudlow has the details.

Noteworthy excerpts:


"There’s no counting how many recessions Times columnist Paul Krugman has predicted, but Bush was exactly right to point out 4 percent real GDP growth during the first half of 2006, brisk productivity rates, 5.5 million new jobs over the past three years, and a historically low 4.8 percent unemployment rate."



"The Congressional Budget Office may now acknowledge that deficit projections were $100 billion too high, but they maintain that only higher taxes in the next ten years will solve the budget problem. This defies common sense. If it pays less to work and invest after-tax, as implied by the CBO scenario, does anyone truly believe people would work harder to expand the economy? If that were the case, then why not raise tax rates back to 70 percent, where Reagan found them, or 91 percent, where JFK first had them? The CBO’s thinking begs credulity."

Why would we expect any different from government bureaucrats anyway, Larry? They tend to be tax and spenders of the worst stripe.

Or for that matter, why would we expect any different from the expected responses to this post, who will tell us that the "Bush McEconomy" is still "bad news" for everone by starting out their comments with something like a "Yeah, but yada yada tax cuts for the rich blah blah woof woof corporate greed snort grunt minimum wage slaves lalalala I can't HEAR you...." or some such nonsense.

Image of the Day

The Problem Is Serious

Pay attention, folks.

Let's keep our priorities straight.

Stop the political finger pointing and the blame-game playing. Understand the true nature of our enemies, and the goals they have set. Stop pretending that it's "just a police action" type of thing. Stop pretending that if we "just stop aggrevating them, it will all be OK".

It will most assuredly NOT be OK if we return to the September 10 mentality as a nation. It will NOT be OK if we forget the harsh lessons our enemies have taught us.

Quote of the Day

"Kerry Couldn't Find Mainstream With Both Hands And A Flashlight"

-- Captain Ed

Excerpt:

"Kerry accused the 2000 Democratic vice presidential candidate of 'adopting the rhetoric of Dick Cheney,' on the issue of Iraq."

And Lieberman now has an 11 point lead over Lamont, with 53% of likely voters, in a three way race.

Watch for the predictable deflection tactic response from the Dems about how we've abandoned the Republican candidate.

Perhaps, as Glenn Reynolds has suggested, the Dems should have developed an exit strategy in Connecticut.

Are You Ready to "Bow and Surrender to the Iranian People"?

Ahmedinejad thinks you should be.

Noteworthy:

"If you want to have good relations with the Iranian people in the future, you should acknowledge the right and the might of the Iranian people, and you should bow and surrender to the might of the Iranian people. If you do not accept this, the Iranian people will force you to bow and surrender."

Certain Dems won't understand that. It's not "nuanced" enough.

I bet Joe Lieberman understands it, though.

Joe Rosenthal, and "The Picture"

At Powerline.

http://powerlineblog.com/archives/015062.php

"Beyond Gay Marriage"

A thought provoking article from the Weekly Standard.

Noteworthy excerpt::

"The stated goal of these prominent gay activists is no longer merely the freedom to live as they want. Rather, it is to force you, your family, and the state to recognize and respect their myriad choices. The result of meeting these demands will be a culture, a legal system, and a government that considers a monogamous, exclusive, permanent sexual relationship of child-bearing and child-rearing nothing more than one among many lifestyle choices. The claim that marriage is normative for the flourishing of spouses, children, and society--not to mention any attempt to enshrine in law this unique human good--would be considered bigotry. In other words, marriage as a social institution would be destroyed. "

"Common Sense and Ordinary People"

This post sums up what I've been saying for several years now.

Key point:

"No matter how condescendingly the left treats the average person on the street, when it comes to common sense--particularly about life and death issues--the average American, indeed the average human being, has always had an abundance."

My, My, My!

Check out who's behind the ACLU suit against the NSA surveillance programs!

Ya think there might be some motivation besides "protecting our civil liberties" at play here?

Cartoon of the Day

Here Are the "Illegal Government Surveillance" Programs the Lefties SHOULD Be Worried About

....rather than devoting time and energy to a legal government program that protects us.


Let's make sure this nonsense NEVER comes back to our area.

Glenn Reynolds tells us why.

The ones mentioned are are merely schemes to separate us from more of our money without having to raise taxes.

Unlike the NSA programs, the camera enforcement programs make us LESS safe.

Ludicrous Reasoning from a Ludicrous Judge

.....which satisies the ludicrous nattering nabobs, but not the rest of the us, is noted and commented upon here.

Key point:


"This reasoning is ludicrous. Americans have no reasonable expectation of privacy when seeking to communicate with persons outside the United States. U.S. privacy law consequently does not — cannot — apply. Moreover, virtually every intelligence agency in the world is pursuing al Qaeda operatives and intercepting their communications. In Judge Taylor’s perfect world, only the U.S. — the primary target of al Qaeda — would be forbidden to do so. "



It is time for those of us who have good common sense to understand how important this matter is to take action to protect ourselves and our nation.

It's time to realize that we cannot allow the anally retentive "illegal surveillance" crowd to put the rest of us in danger because of their insistence in fulfilling their misplaced priorities, or their political ambitions.

The Terrorist PR Machine

Glenn posted on this matter in the recent ceasefire thread.

Here's an interesting opinion by the people at AIM.

And we wonder WHY the Muslim world does not put a stop to the Murdering Thug Puppets' agenda.

The Puppetmasters' PR program is way too good.

Rewriting the Constitution

We were aware that the ACLU was court-shopping this case to find the right judge. Looks like they found one.

Key points:


"....she manages to forget or overlook that no one is being denied his liberty and no evidence is being brought in criminal proceedings based on what the NSA might learn through listening to al Qaeda communications. The wiretapping program is an intelligence operation, not a law-enforcement proceeding. Congress was duly informed, and not a single specific domestic abuse of such a wiretap has yet been even alleged, much less found."



"Unlike Judge Taylor, Presidents are accountable to the voters for their war-making decisions, as the current White House occupant has discovered. Judge Taylor can write her opinion and pose for the cameras--and no one can hold her accountable for any Americans who might die as a result".



No question about it.

Did the Israeli Government Blow It?

Opinion at the Volokh Conspiracy.

This isn't exactly what we had in mind when we asked for "regime change" in the middle east.

Quote of the Day

"Over the years I have pointed out that the Democratic definition of bi-partisan is: 'Do what we want'."

---Rich Galen


What do you want to bet that a certain recent poster will NOT ask me for a link for THIS quote from the Patriot Post?

Rich Galen is not in the the pantheon of heroes esteemed by certain local bloggers, as was the case of the subject of a more recent post.

Looks Like "Plan B" Isn't such A Good Idea Either

I wonder if "Plan C" will be better?

Is Justice About to be Served?

Let's hope so.

Coming Soon to a Daimler Chrysler Store Near You?

The return of the famed Gullwing.


"Oh Lord, won't you buy me
a Mercedes Benz?


My friends all drive Porsches
I must make amends.


Worked hard all my lifetime
no help from my friends.


So Lord, won't you buy me
a Mercedes Benz?"

Ceasefire? WHAT Ceasefire?

It's only a pretext for the Puppetmasters to rearm and re-energize the Puppets for the next round of mid east fun and games.

Despite coming from al-Reuters, this story shows one of the reasons we know that.

Expect to see some political changes in Israel. The last round of the conflict wasn't handled well enough for many Israelis.

Quote of the Day

From Krauthammer, in his WaPo cloumn last Friday:

"Vietnam cost the Democrats 40 years in the foreign policy wilderness. Anti-Iraq sentiment gave the antiwar Democrats a good night on Tuesday, and may yet give them a good year or two. But beyond that, it will be desolation. "

The New Flack Jacket?

This may start a trend in combat zone safety for some people.

I've already applied for the job as the quality control inspector for this program.

Ned the Cable Guy

Roger Simon thinks he's a strange choice for the Nutroots to support. Here's why.

Noteworthy:

"...but I would warn his fans on the soi-disant 'left' not to look too far into their new hero's 'netroots.' They might come up with disappointing facts about the cost and availability of broadband for the masses,etc., as their new lider maximo wired-up dorm rooms for college kids, so they wouldn't miss a moment of "Desperate Houswives" during finals. What a great public service."

Doesn't really matter. Lieberman looks like a winner in November anyway.

Next Up: Entitlement Reform

Here's what Captain Ed thinks.

"Security in Iraq and Afghanistan requires regime change in Damascus and Tehran."

"Lebanon, Gaza, Iraq, and Afghanistan are not separate conflicts. They are battlefields in a regional war. "

Read the entire article.



Key point:


"The longer we wait, the larger the real war becomes. Iran has been at war with us for 27 years and we have yet to respond. As time passes, and our fecklessness is confirmed, the mullahs’ confidence grows. Surely they must believe that their moment has come, that we will never respond, that they can bloody us and force us to retreat. That is the clear lesson of Lebanon, and they are undoubtedly raising the stakes for the next round."



Most certainly.

Quote of the Day

"If you fight terrorism, you can't make America a better place to be."

Bill Clinton, as quoted here.

Cartoon of the Day

The Lessons of the Foiled Terror Plot

Right On Target.

Key point:

"Our first line of defense is good, actionable intelligence. That definitely includes the most vigorous collection and analysis of foreign - and domestic - terrorist-related information that our laws and values will permit.

The foiling of this plot clearly shows the importance - and wisdom - behind well-crafted intelligence programs like the NSA's Terrorist Surveillance Program and the tracking of terrorist-related international financial transactions, among others."

And, as has been established numerous times to the consternation of some, our own NSA programs are legal as well as effective.

Bill Keller LIED About the Lichtblau/Risen Story!

One again, Captain Ed has details.

Excerpt:

"Keller has destroyed what's left of his paper's credibility. He lied to everyone about the timing of this publication, baldly and publicly. It also damages the credibility of everyone associated with this story."

Somehow, I doubt if this is the first time the Slimes has purposefully and publicly lied about things.

I Guess This Story Was Inevitable

Maybe he should have called them murdering thug puppets instead.

Podhoretz Makes Sense

Pay attention, boys and girls. There WILL be a quiz on this material.

Noteworthy:

"If you stipulate that everything people allege was a mistake in Iraq, even if you stipulate that they all were actually mistakes rather than judgment calls about which reasonable men could differ and could have had worse consequences if they'd gone the other way--even if you stipulate that all the critics are right, these 'mistakes' are chump change compared to the mistakes that were made during World War II by great leaders like Churchill and Roosevelt, and the lives that were squandered, thousands and thousands of lives uselessly squandered. . . ."

Won't help slake the blood lust of the BDS crowd, Mr. Podhoretz.

Hezbollah's "Final Solution"

Why are we not surprised at this?

But of course, it's "all Bush's/Israel's fault", isn't it?

Lamont's General Election Campaign Starts Off Badly

Captain Ed has the details.

Lamont's approval ratings have fallen, Lieberman has a 5 point lead in the polls already, and Lamont's campaign kicks off with foot in mouth disease.

Beware the Law of Unintended Consequences, nutrooters.

Brits Foil Terror Plot By Use of Programs Liberals Oppose

There's no "if"s, "and"s or "but"s about it.....These kind of surveillance programs WORK. And as we know, they are LEGAL.


Excerpts:

"Let's emphasize that again: The plot was foiled because a large number of people were under surveillance concerning their spending, travel and communications. Which leads us to wonder if Scotland Yard would have succeeded if the ACLU or the New York Times had first learned the details of such surveillance programs."

"In short, Democrats who claim to want "focus" on the war on terror have wanted it fought without the intelligence, interrogation and detention tools necessary to win it. And if they cite "cooperation" with our allies as some kind of magical answer, they should be reminded that the British and other European legal systems generally permit far more intrusive surveillance and detention policies than the Bush Administration has ever contemplated. Does anyone think that when the British interrogate those 20 or so suspects this week that they will recoil at harsh or stressful questioning?"

Why Do the Nutroots STILL Fear Lieberman?

I can hear the protests in denial now.

If they DON'T still fear Lieberman, why do we read comments like these on their websites, as detailed in this article?

Noteworthy:

"This is the sort of megalomaniacal hubris Dean's Democracy for America and liberal blogs embrace as an article of faith: The whole American political culture is corrupt, except when their candidate wins."


"It seems the netroots want to turn the political culture on its ear but only in ways that benefit candidates they support. In negotiations that's what they call a non-starter."


Sad, but true.

The Nutroots' Take on the Foiled UK Terror Plot

"It's All Bush's Fault".

Why are we not surprised?

Lieberman's Loss

Ignoring the babble, dribble, drool and spew from the Nutrooters, what does it really mean?

Noteworthy:


"All of this is of course speculation — albeit somewhat informed. But if GOP House members were privately breaking out the Korbel last night, it’s for a good reason."

"At the end of the day what was done to him was a statement about the Democrats, not Joe. And it is a sad one. A once great party threw out its last best hope of foreign-policy sanity."

"The Democratic party is what it is — a foolish, demagogic, head-in-the-sand, appeasing party. Nothing that happens in Connecticut will affect that very much."

"Although the faultlines of a future schism in the party may well have been revealed, the aftershocks of the present temblor (forgive me, I live in California) will be minor."

"Spin it as he may, the central plank in Lamont’s platform is for the U.S. to accept complete and utter defeat at the hands of terrorists and insurgents in Iraq — and, by implication, before long, elsewhere too."


"However, as the intellectual activists and radicals of the Democratic party left him, working class, small-town, and moderate Democrats rallied and voted with Senator Lieberman."

"While I respect (but do not agree with) the opinion of the Democratic primary voters in Connecticut, it appears to me that the Democratic party is in the process of cementing that it is the "peace" party that is soft on defense and foreign affairs."


"However, if Lieberman remains competitive in a general election match-up, the dialogue may focus more on divisions among Democrats and attempts to define the Democrats’ position in Iraq."



The effects of the Law of Unintended Consequences has many ways to work here.

Mark Your Calendars

This writer thinks August 22 may see one of the Puppetmasters of Jihadistan spring a little surprise in honor of the occasion.

Excerpt:

"This might well be deemed an appropriate date for the apocalyptic ending of Israel and if necessary of the world. It is far from certain that Mr. Ahmadinejad plans any such cataclysmic events precisely for Aug. 22. But it would be wise to bear the possibility in mind."

We shall see.

Are you ready for such an event?

The Times Publishes More Fake War Photos

Can they really believe that this photo is not staged?

Give me a break......

Abusing The Legal System for Fun and Profit

When you investigate the actions of many lefty activist groups you will find this kind of thing is not unusual. In this case it's abuse of environmental protection laws, but many other examples exist in other areas.

Noteworthy excerpt:

"My research indicates a clear and compelling reason: settlements bring in money environmental groups can use to pursue other goals. "

Those Evil Israelis Unleash Their Monster Against The Lebanese (photo by Reuters)

How To Run The Unemployment Rate Up

Thomas Sowell discusses a minimum wage issue in Chicago. Some people who are opposed to the measure discussed are not of the political persuasion you might suspect.

Could it be that there are still a number of liberals out there who have good common sense about the economics of raising the minimum wage?

John Conyers' Game Plan

Byron York has the details at NRO.

I wonder if the Democratic Party is actually stupid enough or arrogant enough to actually try this.

If their Nutroots Wing is successful at their little coup d'etat, the answer is probably "yes".

The price the party will pay for THAT particular piece of poor judgment may be too high for them to bear.

Liberal McCarthyism

Lanny Davis has a great article in the Opinion Journal today about how the Nutroot Left has slimed Joe Lieberman.

Key point:

"But the issue is not just emotional outbursts by these usually anonymous bloggers. A friend of mine just returned from Connecticut, where he had spoken on several occasions on behalf of Joe Lieberman. He happens to be a liberal antiwar Democrat, just as I am. He is also a lawyer. He told me that within a day of a Lamont event--where he asked the candidate some critical questions--some of his clients were blitzed with emails attacking him and threatening boycotts of their products if they did not drop him as their attorney. He has actually decided not to return to Connecticut for the primary today; he is fearful for his physical safety."

And yet the apologists continue to excuse the slimeball tactics and rationalize the execrable behavior focused on Lieberman.

I do not agree with many things that Lieberman believes, but I DO believe that the Democrat Far Left nutroots' cannibalistic attacks on him represents a dark force in American politics.

Pay attention to the possibilities of the Law of Unintended Consequences coming into play over this sordid affair.

Lieberman and the "Peace" Democrats

Once again, another unintended consequence of the attempted insurrection within the Democratic Party by the netrooters.

Here's the main point to consider:

"The Lamont ascendancy, if that is what it is, means nothing other than that the left is trying, and in places succeeding, to take back the Democratic Party. Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and Maxine Waters have stumped for Mr. Lamont. As I say, we have been here before. Ned Lamont is Karl Rove's dream come true. If he, and others of his stripe, carry the day, the Democratic party will lose the future, and deservedly."

But we knew that already, didn't we?

Shades of 1972!

TV Ad Revenue Expected to Fall

No big surprise there. But will the New Media be in a position to take advantage?

Jeff Jarvis has comments.

Noteworthy:

"The new media aren’t ready for dollars shifting from old media. Shame on us."

GM Is Almost Always A Proverbial Day Late and a Dollar Short.

That's what happened in the mid 60s after the incredible success of the Ford Mustang. Looks like it's going to happen to a new Camaro again!

I think the Free Press article writers are wrong, though. If the product is good, sales will not BE in the tank, regardless of the cost to put gas IN the tank. The market numbers just won't be enough to catch the headstart the new Mustang has.

Cue the old statement about those who fail to learn the lessons of history.

Remember the Avian Flu Pandemic Talk

.....that was so prevelant last Fall and Winter, with the various predictions of the End of the World As We Know It?

It's been off the scope for some time now, except for the Whacko/NutCase/Conspiracy Theorists who are still attempting to get some traction on the issue.

Is the Avian Flu something to be concerned about?

Yes, of course.

Is it likely to be the Pandemic That Ends Civilization and Leaves The Earth to the Cockroaches?

Probably not, given that there is no proof or liklihood that it has or will mutate into a human-to-human transmission scenario.

What's your take?

Christianophobia

Dr. Sanity discusses it here, inspired by the article she links to in her blog.

Key point:

"It seems to me that there is a concerted effort to eliminate these values and the symbols of these values wherever they might be found within the culture (e.g., in government logos and such) in an attempt to replace them with different values and symbols. While the stated objective of the replacement is to be "inclusive" and make the U.S. a "multicultural" society (which it always has been without their help), the upshot is a careful substitution of a particular secular set of values for a value system which has its origins in traditional religion."

Pat Michaels on the Summer of 1930

You think it's hot this summer? Read this.

As one who has endured many a hot, muggy DC summer, I can relate. Back in the 19th centuy, British diplomats posted to the Washington DC embassy were given tropical duty pay, the same as given to those assigned to equatorial nation duty.

Also, the True Believers are getting wiser. Only the most intellectually challenged knee jerk reactionaries among them are trumpeting Pat Robertson's recent statements on the subject.

Human Rights for Terrorists But Not for Israelis?

Political biases at Human Rights Watch regarding the Qana Hezbollah photo op.

Noteworthy:

"After the initial reports of the incident on Sunday, any reasonably informed, fair observer could have noted that:

* Suspiciously, it was precisely at Qana ten years ago that an Israeli airstrike that killed a large number of civilians ended up causing Israel to call off its offensive against Hezbollah.

* Hezbollah in the current situation was hurting, losing men and weaponry to Israel’s ongoing campaign amid talk of an international force that would seek to keep it disarmed.

* Hezbollah is an Islamic terrorist organization that functions entirely outside the framework of morality—or at least of Western morality.

Such realities would have led any levelheaded person—at the very least—to withhold judgment after the initial reports of the airstrike and wait till more facts came in and the various versions were sorted out.

But that would have been far too much objectivity for Kenneth Roth, who in his zest to pillory Israel at every turn is little more than an ally of the barbarians."

Joe Lieberman's Upcoming Democrat Primary Race

The Conways have an interesting analysis of Connecticut politics.

I am VERY interested in what the sudden rush of voters changing from unaffiliated to Democrat, and then back to unaffiliated is all about.

Is the "Law of Unintended Consequences" about to bite the Dem establishment in the ass?

For Whom The Bells Toll

Isn't it amazing how we havn't heard anything about this in the Antique Media?

Maybe it's because the Antique Media knows that the bell tolls for them too.

At any rate, it's clear that they just don't want to talk about it.

The Candidate

Will he run?

How will his supporters market him?

What will his enemies attempt to use against him?

What would his candidacy mean to his party?

What will it mean to the nation, especially if he wins?

Revisiting the Legacy of TR

Our modern day "progressives" often like to cite Teddy Roosevelt as the type of Republican they admire. The TR legend has grown large over the years, much in part to that sort of adulation.

This book deconstructs that legend.

Noteworthy excerpt:

"Bully Boy does a thorough job of examining the life of a man generally considered to be one of America's greatest presidents—and of showing how the negative consequences of his polices are still plaguing us today."

The Puppetmasters' Preferred Solution to the Middle East Crisis

This is not the first time Fearless Leader has said this.

However, he WILL accept a "cease fire" first.

Of course he will. It gives the Puppetmasters time to re-arm and re-strategize for the next round of aggression.

What a guy! And just think: He got his start with the kidnapping and abuse of American hostages, while Jimmy Carter twiddled and diddled.

When will the rest of the world put a STOP to this?

And Speaking of the Dems.....

Here's an example of their use of (gasp!) racism when it suits the agenda.

Key point:

"No one from the GOP would get away with using a term like 'cracker' in an interview, or something similarly objectionable about another ethnic or religious group."

Of course not! It would be hyped into a major scandal in no time flat.

Party of the Poor Folks Puts Agenda Ahead of Minimum Wage Increase

But not ALL are fooled. Some have figured it out.

And why should the Dems care? They figure they've still got the African American vote wrapped up anyway. For a while, at least.

Key point:

"Democrats arrogantly kill legislation that would help poor blacks because they know that blacks will vote for Democrats regardless of the harm they cause to black people. Democrats want to keep blacks poor, angry and voting for Democrats."

Things To Do After Friday Prayers at the Mosque Let Out

It must all just be a big coincidence, or some sort of misunderstanding, right?

Hezbollah Caught in a Quagmire?

This is very interesting.

(hat tip: Instapundit)

Excerpt:

"Nasrallah’s dictatorship will sink like those of Saddam Hussein and other regimes, which did not know their true ability. Egyptians suffered under the dictatorship of the late Gamal Abdul Nasser who led them to war in 1967. The late Egyptian President believed Arab power can defeat Israel. However, the result was different as Arabs were handed out a humiliating defeat. Nasrallah, who is being remote-controlled by Iran and Syria, believes he is in the mold of many Arab leaders. But the fact is he is playing with fire."

What will the Puppetmasters do?

The Politics of Global Warming and Religion

It's going to become a battleground over politcal correctness.

Why are we not surprised?

Excerpts:

"In others words, ECI endorsed all the central premises of the environmental left."

"Chilton and other ISA signers asserted that giving the world's poor access to electricity, including refrigeration for food and air conditioning, is a far more pressing concern than the more nebulous goal of affecting climate change. But some ECI signers, he fretted, actually oppose getting electricity to the world's poor because they fear the increased power use will only feed global warming. The end result of reducing carbon emissions would be to confine hundreds of millions to perpetual poverty and shortened life spans."

At least SOME people have the good, common sense to attempt to keep "political correctness" out of this debate among this group.

Once again, there is NO "scientific consensus" on this issue, regardless of what the True Believers want you to believe.