Holy. Fucking. Shit. - John Kerry On Uneducated Military Folks

Update: John Kerry releases a statement about his comments and, continuing his tradition of blaming others, is blaming Republicans??

"If anyone thinks a veteran would criticize the more than 140,000 heroes serving in Iraq and not the president who got us stuck there, they're crazy. This is the classic G.O.P. playbook. I’m sick and tired of these despicable Republican attacks that always seem to come from those who never can be found to serve in war, but love to attack those who did."

I was stumbling around the internet and I found John Kerry actually said this "You know, education, if you make the most of it, if you study hard and you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, uh, you, you can do well. If you don’t, you get stuck in Iraq."

I found a site that has the audio AND video too. Here. Update: I found the video on Youtube.com as well. Here you go. The site may be slow as John Kerry's words are bound to cause a shit storm.

I hate to tell you all "I told you so", but I TOLD YOU SO! This is the EXACT reason why the Democrats cannot be trusted with national security interests. It shows that John Kerry and his type think very little of the military and it's personnel. It shows that they only pay lip service to the military and everyone who sacrifices to make our country safe. Unfortunately, I doubt that the mainstream media will cover this at all except maybe Fox News.

I am wondering how he'll unscrew himself out of this one. I imagine we'll hear a "taken out of context" here or a "misquoted" there. Man up John, admit it was what you meant you cowardly piece of shit. John Kerry certainly has a right to say it, it doesn't mean I don't have a right to be pissed about it.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Update To Tattoo Boy

One of my readers (lostinlimaohio) points out in this article that our little tattooed inmate friend is going to have it removed. Maybe tattoo removal technology has come a long way, but everything I've ever seen, you can still make out the tattoo faintly. So, hopefully, he'll have to live with it for the rest of his life. I'd like to give my reader credit for this one. Just wanted to make sure my reader got proper credit for noticing that in this article. :)

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Atom And RSS

Most of you have found it already, but if you want to view my site through feeder programs, you can find the links at http://www.rightwinglunatic.com/atom.xml and http://www.rightwinglunatic.com/rss.xml. I should warn you, I have not thoroughly tested either out, so if you find any bugs, feel free to let me know about them @ travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Iran's Getting Lippy Again

Is lippy even a word? Well my spell check says so, so I'm going with it. Iranian nut job Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is stating that there will be a "firm response" to UN sanctions. What I don't think he understands is that if oil prices rise, his country won't get in on the extra money coming in because of the sanctions. Furthermore 80% of Iran's economy is based upon oil. I don't care who you are, an 80% drop in revenue is significant and can easily bankrupt a nation. The problem is that the IAEA cannot confirm that Iran's nuclear program is merely peaceful. If they could, Iran would easily be able to say "I told you so", but they are being secretive and elusive, so there's plenty of reason to doubt their word. I guess we'll see how this plays out.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Big Money! No Whammies!

Man, wouldn't it be sweet if we nailed Al Qaeda #2 Ayman al Zawahiri? It looks like the noose is getting tighter. For those of you who do not know, al Zawahiri is as important as Osama Bin Laden because Zawahiri is more of the brains behind the operations. Osama is more of a spiritual leader type. Getting both is critical in my opinion, but nailing the #2 guy would severely cripple Al Qaeda's ability to do operations. Let's all cross our fingers while they sift through the dead.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Why I Shouldn't Be On This Jury.

Remember our little child killer friend, Anthony Ray Stockelman? He's the one who murdered a young child named Katie and got attacked and tattooed with the words "Katie's Revenge" on his forehead. Well it turns out that her cousin was the one who did it. Her cousin held this piece of shit down and told him to either get tattooed or die. Now, call me an insensitive asshole, but I'd acquit the cousin on general purposes. The cousin did do a crime and will probably get punished for it, but I would bet the farm that he thinks it's worth it. In his shoes, I would think it would be worth it for me as well.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Bill Cosby Blasts Black Parents

Bill Cosby, America's father figure, has recently blasted black parents and teachers for not doing enough for their children. He goes on to state that black people should stop blaming white people for their problems. I would agree with all of his points except I would change one. I would replace the word "black" with "all".

Lately, I can't seem to talk with anyone under the age of 23 and have them use proper language skills or spelling. It all seems to be about flash and no substance with them. They all want things in life that come with hard work and saving money, but they don't want to work for it. Of course, I thought the same things when I was younger, but the difference is that I knew I would have to work for what I wanted. Big houses, nice cars, etc, were all something to be earned rather then given.

What happened to smacking your kids on their little butts when they got out of line and telling them no? Parents now a days don't seem to care as long as their children aren't in jail, on drugs, or pregnant. When I was a young boy, if I got in trouble at school and sent home, I couldn't walk through my neighborhood without a man or woman asking me why I was home early from school. Once they knew, they'd spank my butt and send me home, where I'd get a further spanking. Children have been raised on corporal punishment for thousands of years and as adults, they've accomplished great things. Now that it's been fashionable to be a lazy parent, what have we accomplished in say the last 10 years? Anything really? Things have gotten bigger, better, faster, and cheaper, but nothing new has come up. When we get back to raising children properly and being involved in their lives, you'll start seeing things get better with time.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Even President Bush Thinks I'm Right.

Wow, I'm flattered that the President shares the exact same views I do. :) Give me a pat on the back!

"If you listen carefully for a Democrat plan for success, they don't have one. Iraq is the central front in the war on terror, yet they don't have a plan for victory"

Sounds awfully like several posts that I made earlier. Hmm...maybe I could get a job at the White House as an adviser? I imagine that the pay would be better. :)

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

This Is What We're Up Against

Just so any of you who think if we'll leave Iraq, that it'll all be rainbows and sunshine, here's a good sober look at what we're dealing with. Insurgents are now murdering children. Regardless of this boy's religion, the fact that they are murdering 14 year old boys shows a sobering look at the type of people we're dealing with. Does waterboarding sound so horrible now?

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Stem Cell Research

I'm going to go a little out of my party's "official" stance and state that I'm for stem cell research. I'm really for any research that has the potential to cure any and all diseases. I'm sure that embryonic stem cell research is a sore subject for many people, but let's look at it from a different angle.

A woman goes in for an abortion, this alone means she did not want the child. I'm talking in the strict form of abortion here, not something like she needed an abortion because the baby died or her health was in jeopardy. When something like that happens I imagine she would take the baby's body and have it buried in her own ceremonious ways. So in my fictional "abortion", the woman no longer wants the child. What do you think happens to the child's body? It's discarded just like any other medical waste.

Now, if I tell you that I could use the child's cells in research that might help cure a horrible disease, what's the harm? The woman did not want the child to begin with. It's going to be thrown away. So, if we can cure say, spinal cord injuries, wouldn't that be worth it? America has been at the front of the medical technology business for many years, and I think we should take bold steps to make sure that we stay there.

Of course, there's going to be people who claim that they don't want this type of research because they believe that children are being butchered. Fair enough, but has any of them actually seen how stem cells are harvested? And if you object due to religious grounds, fair enough. But doesn't most religions state that when you die, your soul goes to heaven or hell? If so, doesn't that make your body a mere shell? What makes your body sacred if your soul, which is the most important part, is already in heaven or hell?

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

The Stress Is Getting To Me!

So a Muslim cleric makes some comments about women who don't cover up are basically asking to be raped, now has gone to the hospital because "the pressure has taken its toll". Does this idiot even think that he'll get a shred of sympathy? Also, he doesn't cover up as much as the women have to, so that begs the question; Does he deserve to be raped by a gay rapist? Under his thought process, he would deserve it and we should all blame him for it correct? What I'd really like to see from the Muslim community is him being kicked out of the mosque. It looks like that may very well happen.

I'm very happy that the Muslim community has stepped up and stated that his statements were wrong. Now if we can only get them to step up when it comes to terrorism, we'll have some real progress. Now, if he has said these things in the privacy of his own home or not while being a spokesman for the mosque, that's freedom of speech and he has the right to say it. However, when he states this as a cleric, it comes with certain responsibilities, and I think that he'll probably pay dearly for it.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

John Kerry - Part 2

Well it appears that another Democrat is saying "vote for us, we'll make things better", but without a tangible plan. I'll be happy to work with Democrats, if they actually bring something to the table. For example, let's take a look at one of Democratic hopeful Jim Webb's quotes.

"A Democratic Congress will demand from day one that the president find a real way forward in Iraq. We'll work with the administration and other Republicans to develop a concrete plan, but none of us are ready to settle for empty rhetoric, or the same old unacceptable results."

So first, he wants the Democrats to control Congress. Fair enough, but in the next sentence, he states that the Democrats will work with President Bush and other Republicans on a "concrete plan" and that "none of us are ready to settle for empty rhetoric" But yet, over the past few years, all we've heard from the Democrats is "empty rhetoric".

James Webb is not without his own controversies. But, I'd be happy to listen to anyone, Democrat or Republican, with ideas on how to make things in Iraq better, I just don't think that when you have American soldiers dying, that you hold your ideas until election day. If you were truly going to "work with the administration and other Republicans", you'd do it right away, instead of holding onto it, if "it" even exists.

This just reeks of John Kerry's 2004 presidential bid when he tried to state that, if elected, he would make the world all sunshine and rainbows without actually offering anything of worth to the table.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Border Security Fence Signed Into Law

Well I'm glad they finally decided to do SOMETHING about border security. The only thing I would have changed is making the entire border fenced rather then only 700 miles worth.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Mohammed Cartoon Lawsuit Thrown Out

Good grief Charlie Brown, why the fuck was this not even thrown out by the court clerk when they filed it? I just hate the hypocracy that is being shown by certain portions of the Muslim population. You don't see them filing lawsuits and protesting when people get their heads cut off or bombs go off in a crowded market. But you show a cartoon, and they seem to be up in arms (literally).

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Misleading Article Title

This article has a misleading title, but the President makes several good points and is worth a good read. The President states that it appears that we aren't doing anything but getting shot in Iraq when that's not the case. There are tons of things that happen that don't get into the newspapers and on the front page of CNN's website. Many of our guys are involved in things that even other people in the military don't know about. And, unfortunately, you can't publish everything that does go on there because of classified information about tactics and statistics that our guys over there use.

Make no mistake, war is an ugly beast. A soldier will see things that you and I will never see. They've seen, heard, and smelled death up close and personal. An extremely small minority commits a war crime, it's all over the front page of every newspaper in the nation. His name, face, and alleged crime is known by all. But how many of you ever hear about when our guys build schools, hospitals and other infrastructure that didn't exist even before we went to war? How many times do you hear about our guys doing a raid and capturing lower and mid level insurgents? How many times do you hear about us saving lives because we foiled a suicide bomber?

Just because you don't hear about it, doesn't mean it's not happening.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Election Time

Well the mid term elections are less then 2 weeks away. Make sure you all get registered to vote and actually vote. It's very important. You may not agree with everything I have said and done in the past, but here's an excellent article on why you should vote for the Republican Party.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Won't They Ever Learn?

Man, these guys just don't know how to take a hint. Iran is ratcheting up their nuclear program even further. I just wonder what it will take for them to think twice about their program. Sooner or later, someone's going to blink. My bet is that they blink first.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Put Down Like A Rabid Dog

I remember this guy. He killed several women in the Gainesville, Florida area in the early 90's. What made him stand out for me was he serenaded his girlfriend I believe in open court. Real class act. Oh well, he's been dead for about and hour and a half now, and I think I'll have a smile on my face on my way home knowing he won't terrorize anyone ever again.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Personal Responsibility Strikes Again!

Check out the last line of this article. London-born Campbell is no stranger to controversy. She has blamed her hot temper on lingering resentment toward her father for abandoning her as a child.

I'm just waiting for her to throw a cell phone at one of her assistants and have that assistant beat her to within an inch of her life. You know that poor assistant is just going to snap one day.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Bill O'Reilly Vs. Michael Moore

These videos are great! Part 2 really makes Michael Moore look like the douche bag he really is.

Part 1

Part 2


Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Iran: Building A Nuclear Weapon After All?

It appears that even Germany may be agreeing with us that Iran might be thinking of building a bomb. No other reason can be explained as to why they would estimate how long it would take to build one. I think when the Europeans start getting nervous, then you start seeing more action in the diplomatic circles. This is a good thing as it makes it appear to be more of an international consensus rather then just us and having people argue that we're being a bully.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Ohio Executes Nutjob

Well I'm glad we're rid of one less idiot in the world. Jeffrey Lundgren murdered 5 members of a family because he thought they "lacked faith". It's bad enough to murder someone, but to murder children is monstrous. What I find soothing however, is that there are reports that lethal injection isn't painless. The person is sedated and it gives the appearance of a calm, painless death, but the person can still feel their heart and lungs ceasing operations. Now, these reports may be incorrect, but I'd like to think an idiot like this felt at least some kind of pain and suffering before they put him down like a rabid dog.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

If You're Poor, Who's Responsible For It?

I'm going to bet that this article author did her homework on the numbers, but I think the article is a bit misleading.

First off, she goes into little jabs against the Bush administration. Fair enough, but she doesn't mention the tax increases during the Clinton administration. She also does not state how much taxes are paid by these wealthy people. Some of them pay more in taxes in a year then you or I will make in a lifetime. Another example that she likes to use is the following:

BUSH’S TAX CUTS GIVE a 2-child family earning $1 million an extra $86,722—or Harvard tuition, room, board, and an iMac G5 for both kids.

A 2-CHILD family earning $50,000 gets $2,050—or 1/5 the cost of public college for one kid.

While this is is most likely true, (I don't want to research it that hard), what she does not show is that the poorer family is eligible for grants that the richer family is not.

My main point about this article isn't the slant or the facts and figures in it. My main point that I would like to raise is that if you are poor, unless you have some disability preventing you from working, you are poor because you don't have any drive. There, I said it. I don't want to sound like an asshole (even though I know I will end up sounding like one anyways), but if you are poor, there's literally an infinite amount of things you can do to raise yourself out of poverty. Night classes, working overtime, government job programs, the list goes on and on.

I have been poor. DIRT poor. When I was growing up, my family lived in a VERY small 2 bedroom home and we got by with my mother working 16 hour days and my father working whenever he could. During rougher times, we got government help with food and such. Government cheese and peanut butter SUCKS! My mother went to school and my father turned out to be a loser flake. My mother made her life better by making herself more marketable and therefore making her pay higher.

I did the same thing. I worked at HP making little money, but always remembering the job skills that I learned. I taught myself computers back when they weren't cool. I taught myself troubleshooting skills. I read everything I could get my hands on. I then went to college. I dropped out after a year because my aunt needed financial help. I worked my way up through the ranks of various companies, gathering job skills that are in demand now. I now sit in an air conditioned office building making enough money to be able to afford the nice 4 bedroom home with 3 cars and a theater room.

If you are poor, it is your fault. When I was poor, it was my fault. I had no job skills to offer an employer and certainly couldn't command a nice, above average salary. That's not to say that one can't have a crippling financial disaster. Sudden, massive medical bills are something that could very well crush anyone, but there's always a way around things.

This is the greatest country in the world, you have every opportunity to make your life as good as you want it. But that's they key phrase, "as good as you want it". If you have no desire, no drive, no heart, you'll never make more then minimum wage at best and never get to the point where you are comfortable and aren't worried about things financially. People still come from all over the world to the land of opportunity. They come here because they know that if they work hard, put their nose to the grindstone and pay attention, America can make every one of their dreams come true. Clean air, college education for their children, modern home, more food then they know what to do with, it's all ripe for the taking, but you have to earn it first. If you can't make it here, where do you suppose that you're going to go to make a life for yourself? No one is going to hand you anything. MTV Cribs is a perfect example of this way of thinking. Now from time to time, you'll see someone who inherited their fortune, but the vast majority earned their homes, cars, and other luxury items. Professional athletes, Music stars, and others honed their craft, worked out, did whatever it took to get to the top of their profession, and it paid off for them.

So get off your ass, study in college, hone a craft, write a catchy tune, come up with a new invention, and have some drive, and I promise, you'll soon be living a life that only America can provide.


Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Panama To Widen Canal

This can only have good consequences. Panama has approved a $5.25 billion dollar project to widen their famous canal. Even if it does not mean lower prices for the U.S., expanding a trade route can only be good for everyone. Panama will create thousands of jobs for this project, larger and larger ships can now go through the canal, where they once could not, thus saving billions of dollars in transportation costs of goods and services for the world's economy.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Chavez Suffers Setback

Looks like our good friend Hugo Chavez has suffered several setbacks trying to get Venezuela a seat on the UN Security Council. Well HA HA. Sorry, that was unprofessional of me. But if you act like an asshole, you'll get treated like an asshole.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

This Boggles The Mind.

What. The. Fuck. So Indonesia is releasing 2 prisoners who were involved in the bombing in Bali. This bombing killed over 200 people and they are releasing these people??? Well why didn't we release Jeffrey Dahmer during Christmas, John Wayne Gacy during Thanksgiving, or Ted Bundy during Easter? Oh, that's right, because they were murdering criminals who deserved no mercy for brutally killing innocent people. These 2 people were involved in killing more than the previously mentioned serials killers combined! So, according to these people, I could go out and be involved in killing 200 people and be out within a few years? Would this have happened if they bombed a government building? A mosque? A Playground? Or is it simply because they killed "infidels"?

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Have You Driven A Ford Lately?

So, Ford is announcing that they will lose $5.8 BILLION dollars because of restructuring. Now, I don't know much about running a multi-billion dollar company, but isn't restructuring supposed to SAVE you money??

I have a suggestion for Ford. I've owned a Ford in the past (89 Mustang), and I'll give these thoughts on my ownership of that car. First off, get quality people who answer the phones. These people are the front lines between yourself and your customers. I called up one time with a question about my car and got several rude, inconsiderate people. Now, one person I can forgive, but multiple people I cannot. If the person didn't know the answer to my question, find someone who does or point me in the likely direction of my answer. Simple, fair, honesty will go a LONG way in customer relations. A good experience means I will more than likely become a repeat customer. A vehicle purchase is the second most expensive thing most people will buy in their lifetimes. This means that repeat business is crucial.

Second suggestion. PLEASE HIRE BETTER ENGINEERS! If your current engineers are swamped, higher more. If you have more than enough, higher better ones. I cannot tell you how many times my old car would break down. I had 56,000 miles on the car and had to replace the clutch, starter, water pump, and other assorted parts over it's short lifetime. I drive a Honda. I've owned 3 Honda's in the past. My first car was an 89 CRX. I put 189,000 miles on it without a problem. Oil changes and such were regular just as they were on my Mustang. When I spoke with Honda service, I got fair, honest people who were helpful. This speaks volumes. When my timing belt broke on my CRX, I was met with very helpful people who pointed me to the right place on getting it replaced and back on the road in a hurry. So, when it came time for a new vehicle, who do you think I chose? I chose a car company that offered me a nice, inexpensive, RELIABLE car with a service department that was helpful when needed.

Ford, if you read this, take my constructive criticism to heart. Don't cut corners on cars that cost $25,000. Don't try a "me too" attitude when trying to compete with the Japanese tuner market, it makes you look lame. Innovative ideas and ingenuity will help pull you into profitability quickly, I promise.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

It's About Time!

Well it's about time that corrupt executives finally start seeing real jail time when they exploit thousands of people's jobs and retirement for their own benefit. Many people's lives were financially crushed because of the illegal actions of these people. It's one thing when a company does badly in the market place, it's another to lie, cheat, and steal about it.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

2nd Amendment

I guess certain people just can't be bothered to read the Constitution. For those of you who can't, I'll post it here for you. A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

Now, if you want to get down to brass tacks, the above Amendment, word for word, states that we have the right to own firearms. It says nothing about criminal background checks, mental patients owning weapons, automatic weapons, or other laws that are currently on the books concerning owning a firearm. It uses the example of "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state". It does NOT say that this is the only reason why the American public has the RIGHT to bear arms, instead of the privilege. John Ashcroft has publicly stated that he views the Second Amendment as a "privilege" instead of a right. What a prick.

What I don't understand is how in recent news, whack jobs are going on shooting sprees and yet, no one wants to see how these people got access to guns or want to blame the whack jobs in the first place. I own several guns. My guns are locked up because I have children over at my house many times when friends and family come over. I learned about guns and gun safety at a VERY early age (4 if you must know). I've been hunting with my Grandfather, I've owned guns since the age of 5 (my father's friend gave me a small rifle which was stored at my Grandfather's house), so guns are a part of me and my families life.

If you don't want to own a gun, fine. That's your choice, but don't try to infringe on my right to own guns. Certainly, please don't lump law abiding gun owners with whack jobs that break into schools and murder school children. I'm sure that hippies wouldn't like it if I blamed them for the rise in drug crimes or global warming due to their VW bus emissions. There. I just made a stereotype and exploited it for my own arguments. Do you like it when people blame you for the ills of others?

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

NY Times Wrong For Publishing Terrorist Banking Program

Sometimes it's nice to see when someone who you know is wrong, admit they're wrong. Unfortunately, you can't put toothpaste back in the tube, so the Treasury department is now going to have to adjust because of leaks and the publication of their techniques. Perhaps they'd like to tell China how our Navy operates, or tell Pakistan how to built antimatter weapons next?

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

The End Is Near!

God hates us all! The End Times are here! Gather up your things, get your affairs in order! Armageddon is here! Elton John wants to record a rap album!

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

I Hate To Do This. But I Have To Agree.

Man, I really hate agreeing with potential rapists, but defense attorneys in Arizona are arguing that "John Doe" cases should be voided because of the statute of limitations starts when a crime occurs instead of when a suspect is found. Basically, they state that if DNA is discovered, the statue of limitations starts from that point, instead of when a DNA match is discovered. Unfortunately, I agree with this point.

For example, if I rob a bank, police have to catch me within a period of time starting from the robbery, instead of when they find my fingerprints on the doorway (if it takes years to find the prints). I only use bank robbery as an example, as I don't believe there is a statute of limitations on that particular crime.

Believe me, this is a slap in the face of any person who's been a victim of rape, but this is the way the law is written. Although I wonder, does this mean that if a serial rapist is caught, can prosecutors argue past rapes in a current trial to show a pattern of crime? Can they use this against the defendant at sentencing? Could they ask for an exceptional sentence instead of a standard one because of past rapes? Unfortunately, if this is the case, it means that another person must be raped before the person can stand trial for it. A messy legal problem indeed.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Poor British

It's things like this that make me wonder about responsibility in todays youth, and it's not even happening in my own country. This is a similar problem that we have here in America. Irresponsible people procreating as fast as possible, while sponging off of the rest of us who get up early in the morning and drag our asses into work. Now the father is on disability, which is fine, but if you were on disability, wouldn't you think to avoid further expenses with more children?

I'm not trying to dictate how they live their lives. If they want 20 children, I don't care. I'm more concerned about them getting equivalent to welfare in Britain. It's one thing to have children accidentally, it's happened to many people, but to actively be TRYING for children when you're saying "But we don't want to live off benefits. We want to support ourselves.", and being on welfare is irresponsible. I currently do not have children, so I can see many people judging me for judging these folks. However, I have made an active choice not to have children because I want to provide my children with the best that I can once they do come around. Houses, cars, college education, all of this has been taken care of first so that we have a solid financial foundation for when children do come into our lives.

But I digress. Children are wonderful. I have many in my life. God daughters, 2nd Cousins, Nieces and Nephews. The only concern that I have is that in all of them, their parents experienced financial difficulties with it. Now sometimes it's temporary, and sometimes it's crushing, I just want to make sure that I'm responsible enough not to sponge off of the American taxpayer for me not wanting to wear a condom that particular night.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Are We All Turning Into Sissies?

This is disturbing. Now I can understand if you're in a grind and working hard to provide for yourself and your spouse, but work and stress should never come between you and them. If sex is becoming less and less likely in your relationship, do something about it. You don't want to be 80 and had sex rarely. Sex is something to be enjoyed by consenting adults and when you're young, you want to do it all the time. God knows I did. :)

When the respondents were asked if they had an erection when they woke up in the morning, one-quarter of men in their 20s said they never had one or had one less than once in five days, while 28 percent said they had one every three or four days.

1/4 of men in their 20's have NEVER had one? I'm not trying to brag here but, I'm knocking things off the shelf first thing the morning. :) If you aren't, I'd try to find out why. Is our country becoming so stressed out that men are not being "men"? Take a breather from time to time. Take your wife/girlfriend/boyfriend out over the weekend. Tell your boss "no" from time to time. Of course, I'm sure that there are life situations where these things aren't as easy as they sound, but is it worth your health and sex life to be able to afford one more trinket? Take a good look at yourself if you're not happy and correct it before it's too late.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

I Misspoke When I Was Directly Quoted.

Oh give me a break. This is the problem when you call someone on something they've said. Why can't people just say, "Yeah I said it, so what"? When you are directly quoted as saying "But I think there is a big possibility (inaudible) for extreme criticism and because undoubtedly there was arrogance and stupidity from the United States in Iraq." You need to man up and take your lumps if someone calls you on it. Now, there's nothing wrong with what he said. However, don't go saying you misspoke because I've been interviewed a few times and each time I have been asked to make sure that my quotes were correct.

I've said things in the past, but when I am not clear on something, I usually state "maybe those weren't the right words to communicate what I mean". But if you've been directly quoted, don't backtrack, be more elaborate on exactly what you mean. Don't just give a blanket statement of having "misspoken".

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Why John Kerry Lost

With the upcoming elections, I thought I would give you guys a rundown on what can go wrong for a candidate. I'll use John Kerry's unsuccessful presidential bid in 2004 as an example. While he did have momentum going for him, he lost because of several reason.

He wasn't a good choice, even for Democrats. There were many Democrats who just wanted someone, ANYONE other then George W. Bush in office. They settled on John Kerry. They were willing to take a gamble on a Massachusetts senator with a military background to help lead them into the White House. While this sounds good on paper, it doesn't work in the real world.

He "flip flopped" on too many issues. Everyone remembers the quote "I actually voted for the bill funding our troops in Iraq before I voted against it." It was only 3 years after 9/11 and America needed a strong leader who would stand up and deliver when it came to security issues. Comments like that gave the impression that, given any amount of pressure, John Kerry would buckle and let America take one to the chin.

The Swift Boat people. Many of John Kerry's former military buddies were actively campaigning against him. Why? Well there was talk that he was a traitor for his activities after the war. He accused his fellow buddies of war crimes without proof. When you go through war with a person, you will generally have a friendship that lasts a lifetime. You save their life, they save yours. When they campaign against you, that says something significant. There were rumors of John shooting an unarmed fleeing Vietnamese teenager in the back. John Kerry took too much time in denying these claims, making everyone believe that there was a bit of truth to them.

John Kerry's wife. Theresa Heinz just didn't know when to shut the fuck up. Her comments about Laura Bush "never having a real job" while Mrs. Bush had indeed been a librarian, made Theresa and John look like pompous rich assholes who looked down their noses to other people. Mrs. Heinz also had the fact that she married into her fortune count against her as an additional mark that gave the impression that her and John Kerry look down their noses at people.

I'm Not George W. Bush Syndrome. This seemed to be the greatest argument for John Kerry's campaign. I'm not George W. Bush. Well no shit, I'm not George W. Bush either, but that doesn't make me qualified to run the most powerful country on earth. Many people saw through this bullshit and thought the same things I did.

Monday Morning Quarterbacking. John Kerry openly criticized George W. Bush's reaction on September 11th. This was still an open wound for people and John Kerry used the words "If I were president, I would have...." Note to John, NO ONE likes a Monday Morning Quarterback. Unless you've been in the hot seat before, shut the fuck up. We've all been in situations where we thought we should have reacted or said something different. However, if someone else suggests something, we might be open to listen. However, if you criticize about the way we react and have never been in that situation before, you'll turn a lot of people off.

Lack Of A Plan. John Kerry spoke of many things that George W. Bush did wrong. The Economy, Iraq, 9/11, and spoke of if he were president, he'd do things differently. However, John Kerry never spoke of specifics. George W. Bush isn't perfect. No president in history has ever been. However, I'm more then willing to listen to you if you do have new ideas to bring to the table, regardless of if you're a Democrat or Republican. John Kerry wouldn't go into specifics. He would just say "vote for me and I'll fix everything with all my ideas" and never gave them. Personally, I think he didn't want to give up his ideas, if he had any, to George W. Bush and have Bush take credit for them. Either way, you need to come in fresh and ready to hit the ground running when you're campaigning for the presidency.

Loud Mouths. John Kerry isn't responsible for this one, but there were many people in this country who would shout out all sorts of bullshit on how Bush was Hitler and other such nonsense. It would turn people off. Michael Moore, Janeane Garofalo, Alec Baldwin, and others would yell at the top of their lungs about all sorts of things wrong with Bush, but wouldn't necessarily say what's right about John Kerry. Many of these celebrities would state that if George W. Bush would win the election, they would move out of the country. To date, NONE of them have. What does that tell you? It tells you that they are full of shit and enjoy all the wonderful things America has to offer.

September 11th. Democrats are typically weak on terrorism and they got a reminder shortly before the election. Osama Bin Laden released a video shortly before the election and American got a nice fresh reminder of the threats we face. We all knew what we were getting with George W. Bush, a tough, rough around the edges politician who wouldn't mind going it alone when it came to the security and safety of America. With John Kerry, there were too many "unknowns" John Kerry talked about going through the UN, which is viewed almost universally in the USA as a weak and useless body that never sticks to its guns even if resolutions have been voted and agreed upon. The current situation in North Korea and Iran prove this. John Kerry talked about negotiations and agreements with allied nations. This resonated too much like giving into terrorists and we weren't having it.

John Kerry's Charisma. The sad fact is that this guy has none. Bill Clinton, who's policies and actions have cost this nation dearly, is admittedly very charismatic. John Kerry isn't personable. He isn't the kind of guy you'd want to hang around and have a beer or a glass of wine with. EVERY successful leader has charisma.

John Edwards's Charisma. This guy is an even bigger stiff then Al Gore. Good God, this guy was as plain as day and stiff as a 2x4. If you're gonna need a running partner for a campaign, at least get a guy who'll help get votes.

John Kerry's Values. Simply put, his values don't jive with most of America's values. His stance on many issues puts many American's off and will make him less likely to gather votes.

After the election, there was talk of George W. Bush "stealing the election". This is very doubtful for a number of reasons. The more people you have involved in a conspiracy like that and the further out it goes, the more likely you are to have people who will say something. I find it VERY unlikely for something like that to happen. It seems like when Democrats lose, they look for someone to blame. When Republicans lose, they look at themselves to blame. It goes hand in hand with my Personal Responsibility article. Now, are the Democrats going to read my site, take notes, learn from their mistakes and win in November? Highly doubtful, but I think this is a shining example of what can go wrong if you don't plan, don't think, and don't move in an election. It would say something very loudly if they didn't take over congress this election however. The stars are lining up for a perfect environment for Democrats to take over. If they can't gain control over the house or senate, then they need to take a good, hard look at themselves and see what they're doing wrong.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

"Your Vote Doesn't Count"

You have to admit, with an inflammatory statement like that, you're gonna get some attention. While I disagree with the "Your Vote Won't Count" comment, Sean Hannity does raise some very good points about the weakness of the Democratic party. Democrats are historically weak on terrorism, willing to tax and spend, and weak in other key areas. The reason I vote Republican is many and not limited to the following reasons; Gun Control, Taxes, Defense, Less Governmental control over peoples lives, and so on.

That's not to say that I don't think Democrats aren't useful. They do give a nice yin to our yang. They will show you what it would be like to be taxed until the cows come home so others can live better lives without having to actually work for it. They will show you what "universal health care is like" even though it's not all rosy up in Canada where they do have such coverage. They will gladly give out welfare to some people who should simply get off their lazy asses and get a job. There's a difference between a single mother trying to raise children while working and simply not being able to make ends meet, and some idiot who wakes up around noon and watches Jerry Springer and soap operas all day while sponging off of the government. The mother in this scenario should get any and all help available, while the latter person should get nothing.

So go ahead, listen to Sean Hannity's rant. While you may not agree with everything he says, you have to admit he does raise many excellent points.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Democrats Upset By Suspension

Ok, I have a problem here. When Valarie Plame's name came out as a CIA spook, Democrats were up in arms about it. They wanted Karl Rove's head on a platter. They wanted people to resign. Then, when Mark Foley's scandal broke, Senator Foley did the right thing and resigned. Now, when there is a suspected leak to the New York Times from the House Intelligence Committee, the correct thing to do would be to suspend those suspected of involvement, with pay, and investigate. If the suspected person is found to be innocent, they should rightfully be reinstated. If they are found to be guilty, they should be fired and forced to pay back the money they earned while on suspension.

Apparently, the Democrats don't see it that way.

In a letter to Hoekstra dated Sept. 29, Rep. Ray LaHood (news, bio, voting record), R-Ill., a committee member, said the Democratic staffer requested the document from National Intelligence Director John Negroponte three days before a Sept. 23 story by the Times on its conclusions.

"I have no credible information to say any classified information was leaked from the committee's minority staff, but the implications of such would be dramatic," LaHood said in the letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press. "This may, in fact, be only coincidence, and simply 'look bad.' But coincidence, in this town, is rare."

Make no mistake, in the intelligence world ANY leaks, regardless of classification, is a very serious thing. Peoples lives hang in the balance at times. So, if there's a suspected leaker, you must do everything a normal, reasonable person would to find the leaker and prevent further leaks. The suspension was correct and Democrats are, once again, wrong on matters of security.

I am beginning to wonder if they have any idea of the kinds of threats we face on a daily basis. They seem to live in some kind of Fantasyland where everyone holds hands and sings songs and other such nonsense. If you watch carefully, you can catch a good chunk of them using the words "so-called" a lot. "So-called Terrorist" "So-called War On Terror" "So-called leader" are phrases you'll see many times.

Their ruler supreme, Bill Clinton, could tell them that every day, the President receives a daily report on the status of things in the world from the CIA director. Everyday, the information in it is full of threats. When that information is leaked to the press, even if it's not classified, helps our enemies adapt techniques on how to punch through our security and endanger civilian lives.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Crazy, or Crazy Like A Fox?

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is spewing out the bullshit once again.

"You should believe that this regime (Israel) cannot last and has no more benefit to you. What benefit have you got in supporting this regime, except the hatred of the nations?" he said in nationally broadcast speech Friday.

"We have advised the Europeans that the Americans are far away, but you are the neighbors of the nations in this region," he said.

"We inform you that the nations are like an ocean that is welling up, and if a storm begins, the dimensions will not stay limited to Palestine, and you may get hurt."

Basically, this guy is either a genocidal maniac, or a brilliant tactician. He's almost egging on world powers to either attack or sanction his country. He's warning Europeans that if they continue support for Israel, that the American's are "far away".

Does he not think that if Iran attacked Italy, France, Germany, or any other country, that we couldn't come down with a rain of fire within a short amount of time? Does he not think that these respective countries don't have a military of their own and defend themselves? Does he not know that there's a war being conducted in his own back yard? I've seen interviews with him. He does come across as a normal and reasonable person. Hell, he's almost charming. That's the problem. World citizens might fall for this bullshit, but then they don't see it when he's spewing out how countries should be wiped off the map.

So the better question is this, does he believe the rhetoric that he's spewing, or is he doing it so that either us or Israel will attack, uniting the Iranian people under a nationalistic pride? Only time will tell, but if military action is taken, I say those who do attack shouldn't just set the Iranian nuclear program back a few years, I say they bomb it back to the very beginning of the program.

I knew we should have killed him

Man, I just hate having a feeling that we made a mistake and then have it come and bite us in the ass later down the road. Muqtada al-Sadr, is a radical Shiite cleric who has been wanted on murder charges a long while ago. We had him on our most wanted list and were poised to get him. However, there was a truce that was made and he agreed to go political instead of violent. This is the exact reason why you don't negotiate with violent people. You arrest them or kill them. Now, he may not condone these acts, but he could have also quelled them and said "The American's are helping us rebuild our nation. It is against all Iraqi's to perpetuate the violence by destroying the very neighborhoods we live and work in."

Cross faction religious conflicts are never productive. al-Sadr isn't interested in a peaceful Iraq. al-Sadr is interested in power. When you have someone who craves power and can and will use religion to warp the minds of impressionable young people, you have a dangerous situation that will only mean that you will have to climb higher out of the hole that you have created.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Shitty Way To Excape

Ok, sorry about the horrible pun, but this article is really funny.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Sometimes The Law Sucks

It looks like we have to let go a former Nazi concentration camp guard because of a law. This guy is completely guilty and we can't do anything about it simply because other countries won't step up to the plate and take this guy. Sad really.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

I'm Innocent. I Swear!

Nothing says "I didn't do it" like screaming at a prosecution witness and saying "I'll see you in hell".

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

This is what you get when you vote Democrat

Holy crap on a stick! Take a look at this guy. Congressman Rangel, from NEW YORK is talking about intense interrogation tactics used by us as being wrong. So when Bill O’Reilly starts talking about Khalid Sheikh Mohammed , admitted mastermind of the September 11th attacks, and the information that he gave up about other al qaeda members, this congressman actually uses the term "so-called terrorists." Then, unbelievably, when Bill calls him on it, he dances around the subject.

This is the main difference between Republicans and Democrats. Republicans will call it like they see it and will defend this country using any tactics necessary to do so. Democrats SAY they will be tough on terrorists, but then Congressman Rangel undermines himself and shows his and other Democrats true colors by using the phrase "so-called terrorists". He's not even sure who he's dealing with. He'd rather have people dead, in HIS OWN STATE HE REPRESENTS, then use intensive interrogation techniques that leave no marks, no scars, and causes no pain. For those of you who don't know, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed subjected to a technique called Waterboarding. The person is made to believe that drowning is imminent and usually begs for it to stop. Khalid lasted 2 minutes during a round of waterboarding. This is an extremely long time for such a technique, as many people subjected to it last only a few seconds.

This begs the question, without Waterboarding, how does one think that they'll get information about upcoming terrorist attacks and al qaeda members? Do the Democrats really believe that a simple "please" will get information out of these people? These people want you dead. They want your families dead. It's not a simple, "we need to look at our foreign policies" bit. If our foreign policies were so horrible, then why do we have Arab allies? If it was so horrible, EVERYONE would be against us in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, are all allies of ours, and they are subjected to the same foreign policies that other countries who hate us are.

Osama Bin Laden has publicly stated that if we leave Islamic people alone, then he'll leave us alone. Well if that's the case, why isn't Osama kissing the ground we walk upon, because we defended Islamic people from Saddam Hussein in the first Gulf War? We prevented Saddam from furthering his agenda of conquering the Middle East, and what do we get in return? Hatred of us.

Now look at what I've done. I've gone off and went all over the map in my little rant.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Chris Rock's Mom Is Suing!

Why is it every time someone feels slighted, it seems that they want to sue. And for that matter, why is it every time Al Sharpton gets involved, it's always "this person has been discriminated against because they are black."

Comedian Chris Rock's mother is suing Cracker Barrel because she had to wait a whole 1/2 hour for service! Oh my god! It simply must be because she's black! She said when she asked the manager about the delay she was told they could have a free meal.

"He never called over the waitresses and asked, 'Why did these people sit here for a half hour without service?' " she said. "The only thing he said was we could have a free meal and neither of us wanted to eat."

So if the manager offers a free meal, how is that discrimination? Does it not occur to Mrs. Rock that they may be busy, or have an emergency in the back? I've been to restaurants many times before and they have been busy. Normally, I just wait patiently, because I know what it's like to be slammed and having people wait for you. However, I have spoken to managers in the past, and usually I get a "sorry about that, we're kinda busy" and that's the end of it. Now, it's entirely up to the manager of the place to decide if he wants to talk to the waitress about it or not. He may know that she's slammed and can't deal with it right now, but kindly offered a free meal as an apology for the wait.

Now Cracker Barrel has had problems in the past with discrimination, and that may very well be the case, but even Rose Rock has admitted that they offered a free meal out of the ordeal. This doesn't sound like discrimination, it sounds like a place got busy, she didn't like the treatment she got, so she's gonna sue because she seems to think that they are ignoring her because she's black.

I've had treatment where I've never gone back to the establishment. I've felt slighted many times because of my appearance (jeans and a Metallica shirt if you must know). However, I never thought twice about suing and I don't remember Al Sharpton coming out in my defense. I think my main problem is Al Sharpton is a sneaky little prick who loves to play the race card and won't apologize, even when he's shown to be absolutely wrong.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Kenneth Lay's Convictions Wiped Clean

Now this is disheartening. Basically, there's a law that states if a person dies, but has not been sentenced, their conviction is wiped clean because the appeals part has not been gone through completely. While this ruling is lawfully correct, it does not feel right for the thousands of peoples lives that were ruined under his watch. People lost their entire retirement. Many people will have to work well up until their 80's to get it all back. I remember a grandfather talking about coming out of retirement because he made promises to his grandchildren to pay for their college educations. Being a man of his word, I can only imagine how devastated he must feel now that he has to come up with 10's of thousands of dollars for each grandchild.

The only thing that people now can do, is file a civil suit against Kenneth Lay's estate. However, after taxes, lawyer fees, and such, how much do you really think each person is going to get? Not nearly enough to cover grand children's college, I'll bet.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

The Sky Is Falling!

Someone's getting all uppity about the new senate bill that I spoke of earlier. This begs the question, why do illegal aliens get special treatment? Why do they deserve American rights and privileges that we enjoy? They don't pay taxes, they didn't come here legally, so why the special rights?

If anyone does an illegal act anywhere else, they don't get to keep the spoils. If I rob a bank, I don't get to keep the money. So if we find out that an illegal alien is in jail on any charges, even if it's only because he/she's and illegal alien, and they are an enemy combatant, why can't we yank them out of jail and interrogate them or send them off to Guantanamo Bay if the person is serious enough of a threat?


Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Wesley Snipes; Action Hero, Leading Man, Tax Cheat?

Well don't this beat all. Movie actor Wesley Snipes, star of "White Men Can't Jump" and the "Blade" films, was indicted Tuesday on eight counts of tax fraud accusing him of trying to cheat the government of $12 million in false refund claims.

Snipes, 44, also failed to file tax returns for six years, according to an indictment unsealed in Tampa, Florida.

An arrest warrant for the actor has been issued, officials said, adding that his whereabouts are unknown.

Federal prosecutors said that Snipes fraudulently claimed refunds totaling nearly $12 million in 1996 and 1997 on income taxes already paid.

The indictment also charged him with failure to file returns between 1999 and 2004.

I remember this is how they took down Al Capone. The IRS is a government agency that you don't want to mess around with. They sent good o'le Al to Alcatraz for 11 years for tax fraud. It appears that Wesley was using a bum tax attorney, but that doesn't excuse him from not filing his tax returns for 6 years! Look for a heavy fine, back taxes and perhaps some jail time for Mr. Snipes. All in all, if the IRS gets it's way, you can bet that Mr. Snipes will be looking to cut the government around a $15 million dollar check. Hope for his sake that they do a Blade 4 to help pay for this mess.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Personaly Responsibility - Part 3

Oh. My. God. A public official finally admits when they screwed up and takes the consequences! I'll need to check the temperature in Hell to see what's going on. A former FDA commissioner admits false reporting and conflict of interest charges then, get this, he says "This is my fault, no one else's". This is such a rare thing, the last time I can remember off the top of my head when a public official took blame for something was Janet Reno for the botched raid on the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas. Even then, she didn't suffer any consequences, even when it was found out that the FBI lied about using gas canisters against the Davidian's. I'm not saying the Davidian's were correct in that raid, I'm just saying that the FBI shouldn't have lied about it. Such an odd day today.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

North Korea Making Further Mistakes...Maybe

North Korea may be planning a second nuclear test. China is already backed into a corner with its ally, and a second test would certainly give China less wiggle room about not wanting sanctions. China is positioning itself so that it may become the next world superpower. The problem is, is that they have too many things going on around them that require tough decisions that would upset their way to the top. If it is true, and North Korea does indeed conduct a second nuclear test, you can bet the farm that it will take all the wind out of any argument that China has. Only time will tell.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Harry Reid Does It Again

When you're a senator, you are held to a higher standard then the rest of us. When you're a senator that throws around accusations of corruption, you REALLY need to have your ducks in a row and not have yourself open to accusations yourself. Apparently, Harry Reid didn't get that memo.

It looks like Senator Reid paid $3,300 to a holiday fund for his staff members out of campaign contributions. Federal law prohibits those funds from being used for personal use. Now, Senator Reid is reimbursing the funds out of his own pocket, but the problem is that "On the Ritz-Carlton holiday donations, Reid gave $600 in 2002, then $1,200 in 2004 and $1,500 in 2005 from his re-election campaign to an entity listed as the REC Employee Holiday Fund. His campaign listed the expenses as campaign "salary" for two of the years and as a "contribution" one year." and "Reid's office said the listing as salary was a "clerical error."

Larry Noble, the Federal Election Commission's former chief enforcement lawyer, said Reid's explanation is aimed at a "gray area" in the law by suggesting the donations were tied to his official Senate and political work.

"What makes this harder for the senator is that this is his personal residence and this looks like an event that everybody else at the residence is taking out of their personal money as they're living there," Noble said.

Even experts think he may have done something wrong. Ethics experts told AP that Reid's inaccurate accounting of the deal to Congress appeared to violate Senate ethics rules and raised other issues concerning taxes and potential gifts.

So here's the problem that we have, Reid labeled the AP story as the "latest attempt" by Republicans to affect the election. How is this the doing of the Republican party? Did anyone from the Republican party write those checks, then LIE about it and say it was for a "campaign salary"? This goes back to my "Personal Responsibility" story earlier this month. The Democrats don't understand that when you throw stones, you'd better not live in a glass house. Senator Reid should vigorously go over his own books and make sure every "i" is dotted and "t" is crossed before he throws around accusations of impropriety. Now, the amounts were small, but it doesn't matter what the dollar amount is. Also, he is reimbursing the money. But if I violate Federal law, but I put the money back, does that excuse me from my wrongdoing?

Maybe I'm coming off a bit harsh. Maybe it was an honest mistake by Senator Reid and honestly thought this was a "gray area" thing that was ok, but it just bothers me when someone loves to throw around accusations and then admit to doing the exact same things. Senator Foley ripped into Bill Clinton about his sexual misdeeds, but then turns around and is caught doing sexual misdeeds himself.

God, I should run for office. Is it really that bad to where you think you have to lie about everything that goes on in your personal life to your constituents? Is it really that bad out there for politicians that they can't say things like "I like a fat cigar and a glass of bourbon to take the edge off a day" or "I love women and porn and when I was younger, I did everything I could with women" This is why I respect Arnold Schwarzenegger. Democrats tried to get him with the whole "You smoked pot and chased women when you were younger." And Arnold's reply "Yeah? So? I was single and it was all with consenting adults, so suck it."

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

A New Bill People Are Working Themselves Up Over

There is a new bill that has passed that has everyones panties in a knot. Bill S.3930 would establish new rules in how unlawful enemy combatants are treated once a crime has been established. Terrorism has normally been treated as a law enforcement rather then a military problem. I think the military is a more appropriate avenue to combat this new threat. They are better equipped, better trained, and have better intelligence gathering abilities. That said, many people are falsely portraying this bill as something that's going to put American citizens in jeopardy of military tribunals and allow American citizens to be "taken away to some gulag".

First off, in Subchapter I, it clearly defines who the bill is targeting. "Any alien unlawful enemy combatant engaged in hostilities or having supported hostilities against the United States is subject to trial by military commission as set forth in this chapter." It further goes on to explain who exactly an "alien unlawful enemy combatant" is.

"(1) ALIEN- The term `alien' means an individual who is not a citizen of the United States.
(2) CLASSIFIED INFORMATION- The term `classified information' means the following:
(A) Any information or material that has been determined by the United States Government pursuant to statute, Executive order, or regulation to require protection against unauthorized disclosure for reasons of national security.
(B) Any restricted data, as that term is defined in section 11 y. of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2014(y)).
(3) LAWFUL ENEMY COMBATANT- The term `lawful enemy combatant' means an individual who is--
(A) a member of the regular forces of a State party engaged in hostilities against the United States;
(B) a member of a militia, volunteer corps, or organized resistance movement belonging to a State party engaged in such hostilities, which are under responsible command, wear a fixed distinctive sign recognizable at a distance, carry their arms openly, and abide by the law of war; or
(C) a member of a regular armed force who professes allegiance to a government engaged in such hostilities, but not recognized by the United States.

(4) UNLAWFUL ENEMY COMBATANT- The term `unlawful enemy combatant' means an individual engaged in hostilities against the United States who is not a lawful enemy combatant."

Many people seem to think that this negates the Bill Of Rights. No laws can be passed that negate the Bill Of Rights. The courts would strike it down. Of course, innocence does still matter. You don't want to pick up some poor farmer in Afghanistan who's done nothing wrong and subject him to rigorous interrogation if his innocent.

It's a balancing act that our government is trying to do. You want to protect the American public from horrible acts of terrorism, but you don't want terrorists to know your intelligence gathering abilities and techniques. If you are tried in open court, anyone may come in and listen in on classified information and techniques. Perhaps Osama's cousin might come in and say "oh that's how they do it" and change their ways accordingly. Now, you have the problem of figuring out how to listen in on them again. All the while, new plans for acts of terrorism are being made and you run the chance of further acts being successful. Plus, if you commit acts of terrorism and are not an American citizen, why should we give you the rights that you've denied to others?


Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Judge Ok's Bully Video Game For Release

Now the title of this article is misleading, it does raise some good points. First off, it doesn't mean that a child can go into a local Gamestop or Wal-Mart and pick it up. Both of these stores have policies that restrict Mature rated games to children. This is no different then when I was a child and my father wouldn't allow me to see the movie "The Day After." He thought it would give me nightmares. These video games are multi million dollar productions, just like movies, and just like movies, they are rated. It is up to parents to decide if it is appropriate for them to view it.

Now I'm not naive. Children are going to get their hands on things that they shouldn't. Every guy who comes to my site has had porn in his hands before the age of 18. Most have had a taste of alcohol before the age of 21. I've had both and I've even had guns in my hands WAY before the age of 18. I think I turned out ok even though I've done things that most parents would lose sleep over at night. However, it's still important for parents to say "no".


Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Senator Harry Reids Shady Deals - Part 2

Well Senator Harry Reid decided to reply to the article implying that he was involved in a shady land deal. Let's take a look at some of the things he said in this reply shall we?

"Last month, Republicans openly boasted that they would engage in a campaign of personal attacks and smears to hold onto power in Washington. In recent days, we witnessed their latest attempt to do just that. Republicans may believe in cover-ups. I believe in ensuring all facts come to light."

First off we start with an attack on the Republican party. Nothing new there. Let's go to the next quote.

"Last week, a highly misleading report by the Associated Press implied that I made a profit selling land I no longer owned. That article was wrong. Here are the facts: I bought the land in 1998, I sold it in 2004, and I listed my ownership of the land on official Senate disclosure forms every single year."

"Now I have taken an additional step. Today, I directed my staff to file amended financial disclosure forms noting that in 2001, I transferred title to the land to a Limited Liability Corporation."

Now here's something I don't understand. Why is is that he sold it in 2004 and listed the ownership "ever single year", why does he need to direct his staff to file an amended financial disclosure form? And if he "sold it" then why does he say sold it and then in the next paragraph say that he transferred the title? I don't know much about real estate, but this sounds very funny to me. Let's go to the next quote.

"As the amended forms make clear, this routine legal move in no way altered my actual ownership of the land. On each disclosure form after 2001, I have added a note to clarify that the land already disclosed in detail on those forms was owned by me through the LLC."

“The Ethics Committee has not yet advised me whether I should file these amended forms, but even if I am not required to do so I am happy to go beyond what is needed to provide the fullest disclosure. The amended forms make clear what was true all along – I owned the land through the LLC when I sold it in 2004."

So how does he "own the land" when he says he sold it and transfered the title to the LLC in 2004? How does that work? Is there anyone out there who's a real estate guru who can explain this to my readers? Again, I don't purport to be a real estate guru, but doesn't this sound a little fishy to you?

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Terrorist Lawyer Gets Off Light

Well this is all over the news right now, but a lawyer in New York has been convicted of giving material support to her terrorist client. Apparently she thought it was a good idea for her to help send communications to his fellow terrorists. Also, it appears that she is complicit in an ongoing terrorist plot, or she's too stupid to realize that she's being used. Either way, she does deserve a lot more jail time then this. She has to realize that her communications with her clients and his outside co-conspirators would put American lives in danger. Does she not understand that her actions could have lead to the deaths of hundreds or thousands of lives? She was smuggling messages. It's not like she wrote them down and then casually walked out of the building and then told whoever the message was for. Smuggling means to hide and conceal. If you do that, you have knowledge that what you are doing is wrong and illegal. And she only gets 28 months for it?? If you and I did something like this, we'd never see the light of day! The crowd outside chanting "Free Lynne, Free Lynne" is no better. I guess tracking down and prosecuting people who give support to terrorists is a bad thing.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Texas Sex Offender Law

Now this is interesting as it has good points on both sides. Basically it boils down to, if you're convicted of a sex crime, you may not live within one mile of anywhere where children congregate. That means malls, schools, certain stores, pretty much the entire town is off limits to sex offenders. Now, let's look at the problem from both perspectives.

I have many children in my life. God daughters, nieces, nephews, cousins, etc. They are all very dear to my heart. If you were to hurt one of them in any way other then an accidental bump or a spanking if you catch them doing something they aren't supposed to, I will make sure you are put into a hole so deep, they will NEVER find you. I've seen CSI and I'm a science and forensics geek, I can make it happen. So I can see why someone would pass a law like this, to "protect the children." You want to make sure that even the temptation of hurting a child isn't there. You want to make sure your children and grandchildren grow up in a safe, friendly environment. You don't have to argue this point with me, I'm completely on your side of thinking. However, let's take a look at the other side of the coin.

You've been convicted of a sex crime against a child. Now, in my state, this could mean that even if you were say 18 and she was 15, you could theoretically be convicted of Rape of a Child. This conviction will follow you around until the day you die. Job applications, security clearances, etc, will all show this conviction. It will make your life VERY difficult. Now, I ask each of you, if this person who's served his time and has gotten out of prison, any different then any other criminal? Should he be restricted to where he can and cannot go, even if he's finished with parole as well? Would you ask for the same restrictions on someone who's been convicted of Robbery? Grand Theft? Drug Dealing? I'm not excusing the crime, but don't we live in a society where there is "equal protection under the law?" I live in a state where if you are a high enough sex offender, the state may hold you, even past your sentence for an indefinite period of time. Where are the protesters for this law? I don't seem to remember Cindy Sheehan asking that we close down the Department of Corrections because we house high level sex offenders for an indefinite amount of time, even past their original sentences have expired.

So where does that leave me in this heated debate with myself? It's very difficult to defend a person who's been convicted of a heinous crime such as these, but we live in a society where "all men (and women) are created equal", but it's very easy for me to want to throw them in jail and let the prison hierarchy take care of the situation. So what makes them worth defending and not say khalid sheikh mohammed? Simple, our fictional sex offender is an American citizen who has certain inalienable rights.


Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Secret CIA Prisons

Maybe I'm an asshole, but I don't mind it when a high level terrorist is captured and sent off to a secret CIA prison. They are not American citizens, they are not members of a foreign army, therefore they should get no protections under the Geneva Conventions. Do you think that we would be given the same rights? Do you think that our soldiers wouldn't be tortured and killed?

Abu-Ghraib and Guantanamo are light compared to what they would be getting in other places around the world. They are given food, medical treatment, religious materials. I don't remember anyone in the World Trade Center getting treated with kid gloves. I don't remember anyone on the commuter trains in Spain getting Geneva protections. I certainly don't recall civilians anywhere during any of these terrorist attacks being spared because they were civilians.

If you want to cause harm to innocent men, women and children because your twisted logic says so, you get no protections. You deserve nothing more then having every ounce of information extracted from you from what ever means necessary and then be sent home in a body bag.

We've been coddling these people who want you and I dead for too long. It's time to take the gloves off and take them to the mat. It's time to start imposing our strength where we need to and use diplomacy where we have to. Withdrawal from territories gives them confidence. Just keep it up for as long as possible and the Americans will leave. UN sanctions gives them a reason to tell their people that we're the bad guys. Pakistan is only now starting to see that we're the good guys only because they had a massive earthquake a little more then a year ago and we came with food and medical supplies. 80,000 people were killed and they hated us up until that point. Now people are starting to ask "The Americans came to help, where's Osama? Where's his help?"

It's sad that 80,000 people had to die for people opinions about us to start changing. Do you think that they would have a better opinion of us now if the earthquake and our aid hadn't happened? We give billions in aid every year. What do you suppose would happen if we cut off aid to any country who wasn't 100% behind us? Other countries like to give lip service to say "we give aid just as much as the Americans." but they never come through, or only give a fraction of what they promised. We are #1 in terms of foreign aid. We sent hundreds of thousands of troops to every corner of the world to help fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. And what do we get for our troubles? Our leader is compared to Hitler. Our country's favorable view is at an all time low. It's now trendy to bash America. Hollywood types aren't helping either. They love to go overseas, make a few speeches and make themselves feel high and mighty at the expense of those of us who work hard to make our country great.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Mid Term Elections

Mid term elections are almost upon us and it appears that some in the Republican party are nervous. Democrats and Hollywood types have made a big enough stink about how they are "gonna start a revolution" and other such bullshit, that many in the Republican party are nervous about losing seats in the senate. I think they rightfully are nervous as they have left some core values on the wayside such as; smaller government and lower spending.

But President Bush and Karl Rove are seemingly upbeat. Why? Do they know something you and I don't? Are they going to drop a bombshell on the American public such as Osama being captured? Al-Zahawi dead? A major development on the War on Terror front would certainly boost the low approval ratings, but I would be curious on why they are upbeat while almost everyone else is not. I guess we'll know more in the coming weeks.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Personal Responsibility - Part 2

I'd like to personally thank Mel Gibson for setting a shining example on personal responsibility. Mel Gibson is blaming his anti-semetic tirade on, wait for it, criticism for The Passion Of The Christ. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't that movie come out 2 YEARS AGO?? He then goes on to say that Israel "is not blameless" in it's conflict with Lebanon and Hezbollah.

Apparently, Mel didn't remember the attack that occurred on the Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah which triggered Israel's response. So someone please explain the logic to me in how a coordinated attack against a military position makes the Israeli's "not blameless." How is it that an attack and kidnapping of Israeli soldiers makes Hezbollah the victim? Mel, please understand that the American people can see through bullshit, and you're shoveling it out by the truckload.


Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Charity Founder Sentenced.

This is exactly why we investigate Middle Eastern charities. Many seem to think we're "against the Muslims and Arabs.", but stuff like this just proves that extremists are trying to funnel money to terrorist organizations in creative ways.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Tell me how this is a good idea?

Yet another idea from the idiots over at the kos site. There are gay republicans??? Say it isn't so! There are gay folks in EVERY aspect of life. Doctors, Attorneys, Accountants, and yes, even Republicans. The basic idea is to out every gay Republican to show the hypocracy of the Republican party. Well I hate to burst your bubble guys, but I already know that.

Furthermore, outing a gay person is wrong, regardless of political affiliation. I don't bash gay folks because what they do in their bedroom is their business. As long as it's consenting adults and no crime is being committed (child abuse, sexual assault, etc), then I have no qualms about what a person does in the privacy of their own home. I play World Of Warcraft and I have at least one publicly gay man in my guild. He's an excellent player and is very polite and charming. The fact that he is gay means absolutely nothing to me. In fact, we recently had another guild member publicly out this man and, had I been there, I would have kicked him out immediately. I don't know how many people know that this man is gay, but for another player to say "And just so you know, So and So is Gay!" is wrong.

This is just another political attempt to try to wrestle control of congress from the Republicans. Unfortunately, I think every time that they pull stuff like this, they usually have it backfire on them. I'd rather have someone in office who'll do what's right, rather then what's popular.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Muslim Extremists Behead Priest

I don't know about moderate Muslims, but if Extremist Christians beheaded a Muslim Cleric, I get the feeling that there would be an uproar much bigger then what we've seen so far. An Orthodox Priest was beheaded by Muslim extremists in the city of Mosul. I'm being told time and time again that Islam is a religion of peace. If that is the case, why are there such violent protests ALL THE TIME. Why for even minor criticism, is there people protesting with signs like these?

What do you suppose would the reaction would be if Christians, Hindus, or any other religious group gathered up and chanted "Death To Islam". Moderate Muslims need to speak up more often and loudly and say "these people do not represent us." When you don't, you give the impression that you condone the actions that these extremists are doing. You give the impression that when people say critical things about your religion, that they are correct. Some moderate Muslims have spoken up and I thank them. But it's not enough. There has been too much bloodshed and not enough Muslims speaking up and saying "this is wrong." I'll be the first to admit that most, if not all popular Christian evangelists are idiots. Pat Robertson, Oral Roberts, and especially Jimmy Swaggart, are all Christian evangelists who have said and done stupid things at one point or another.

Freedom of religion means ALL religions. That means if you don't infringe upon my rights to exist in peace, you have a right to practice whatever religion you want. When you start spewing out threats to others, sooner or later, you'll lose your right to exist in peace.

Personal Responsibility

Call me a crazy old man, but what the hell ever happened to personal responsibility? When I was a young boy, if I antagonized the neighbors dog, I got bit. The first words out of my parents mouths were "what did you do to the dog?" Once they found out that I was antagonizing the dog, it was immediately my fault and I either got a spanking, or I got yelled at. That's when I found out that pulling on the dogs ear, even though I was only 3 at the time, was a bad idea.

Now a days, it seems like everywhere you turn, something is always someone else's fault. No one seems to jump up and say "this was my fault, I accept responsibility" For example, Dr. Marion Nestle, seems to think that the food industry should be regulated like drug and tobacco industries. Ironic name aside, I think Dr. Nestle needs a good idea of what the real world is like.

I like to eat rich foods. I enjoy a good pasta dinner with a tall glass of Henry Weinhards Root Beer. This is a very rich diet and means that if I don't work out, I'll get fat. Well I am fat now, but I'm working it off as we speak, but that's another story. I know that if I eat rich, fatty, or fried foods, I'll be fat in no time unless I workout. I know that if I spill fresh coffee on my lap, it'll probably burn me. And who's fault would all of the above scenario's be if they happen? Mine. Not Olive Garden's, Not McDonald's, mine.

It just strikes me as odd that people are deathly afraid of responsibility lately. When was the last time you heard someone say "I screwed up, sorry." Go ahead, I'll wait.....you couldn't could you? For example, Mel Gibson in his interview, never said "I don't like Jews, I was just drunk and saying horrible things" He actually blames alcohol. Now, I don't know how many of you have been drunk before, but when you're drunk, you lose inhibitions. You don't just start saying horrible things in a malicious way if it wasn't in your heart. Alcohol just loosens up your tongue, and Mel Gibson should own up to his comments and say "yeah I said it, I mean it, and there's nothing you can do to make me stop thinking it" At least then, we'd know where he stood on things. Now, he's going on this "apology tour" and trying to convince people that he just said things because he's drunk, not because he's an anti-semite.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Air America Bankrupt

Well it's finally happened. Air America, a liberal radio station, is going bankrupt. Now, Just a month ago, they denied rumors that they were going to file for bankruptcy. I thought that Democrats loved nothing more then to find lies that people told and "seek the truth". Well, if you go onto their website, you'll find NOTHING mentioning the filing. I would think that if you run a radio station, you owe it to your listeners to let them know that you're filing for bankruptcy. It's just common courtesy.

But alas, they don't seem to give a shit. They seem to want to sweep it under the rug. Wait, I thought that's what they accuse us of doing all the time. They want to know the truth about everything, there's always a conspiracy involving Republicans. Well if you don't mention your filing of bankruptcy, couldn't that be considered evidence of a "cover up" or a "vast left wing conspiracy"? I'm not laughing at their misfortune.....ok I am....but my main point is that if you want to accuse Republicans all the time of conspiracies and cover ups, you should ALWAYS be on the up and up about anything and everything you do, even if it's negative in any way.

People want to hear common sense talk radio. They don't care about some whack job spewing off nonsense about how the governments out to get you, radical Muslims should be treated with kid gloves, and other such bullshit. Their ratings proves it. For example, in New York, the number 1 market in the country, they (WLIB-AM) pulled in a 1.4 share in the fall of 2005. That puts them in 24th place out of 39 stations. To be blunt, they were getting their asses kicked. Badly. You simply can't run a successful, profitable radio station if your ratings are in the gutter. You can't have a high profile host like Al Franken being paid good money and getting horrendous ratings and continue on forever. What's even worse, is that the station has only been in business since March of 2004. So they made it 2 1/2 years? Seems like a spectacular failure to me.

Alternative Energy

Ok, hold on to your hats, I'm gonna sound like a damned hippie here for a minute. Today, in 1973, OPEC voted to suspend all oil exports to western countries that they considered helpful to Israel. Granted, it's been 30 years since then, but sooner or later, this is going to bite us in the ass again. I suggest we get ourselves off of oil imports as soon as possible for the greater good of our nation.

If we are energy independent, we can tell hostile governments where to stick it. Cheap oil is coming to an end. Do you remember a little more then a year ago, gas was at $1.80 a gallon? Well, prices went up to more then $3.00 a gallon and everyone got pissed. Rightfully so, but then prices are starting to come down. Gas in my area is now down to $2.50 a gallon. Do any of you honestly think that gas is going to go down to $1.80 ever again? People will think "wow, it's gone down" but it will settle around $2.20 tops. OPEC has already stated that they are going to cut production by 1 million barrels per day to keep the price up. India has proclaimed that they will bump up production to fill the 1 million barrels per day gap.

However, Oil is not going to last forever. There's rumors that we're sitting on trillions of gallons of oil, but even if true, that won't last forever either. Honestly, I think Hydrogen is the way to go. Many of you are probably thinking "Hydrogen will run out eventually too". While technically correct, you can extract hydrogen from ordinary tap water. Electrolysis, is the process of extracting hydrogen from water. You can read more about it here. Now, even though hydrogen is a non renewable source, it is cheap and can be created at home. Imagine being able to hook a water line up to a machine, plug it in, and it fills the tank of your car. Water is so unbelievably cheap, you could fill your tank for less then a dollar. You could even go a step further and provide solar power to this machine and get free power, further reducing your costs. You could even go down to your local river and scoop out a tank full for free. Now the downside is that of course, oil companies will have to adapt. But then again, what company hasn't had to adapt to changing markets?

I think my main problem is that we as a society are used to independence and here we are completely dependent on the will of foreign governments, many of them openly hostile to us. So if say, Iran, decides that they want to build a nuclear bomb, and we say no, what do they really have as a negotiating tool? Would they threaten to not sell us a product we don't need or want? There would be a completely different landscape in the Middle East if it weren't for oil. I'm not saying that the whole "blood for oil" bullshit is correct. I think we still would have gotten involved in the first and second Gulf Wars without oil. If you threaten us or an ally, you can expect an ass whipping regardless.

Now, as a side note, I'd like to know from liberals, if the whole "No blood for oil" thing is what you think, why didn't we just keep the oil fields when we had them in 1991 during the first Gulf War? We controlled pretty much the entire country. We could have easily set up shop and said "Fuck You, we're keeping this" and there wasn't much Saddam could do about it. We decimated his army, destroyed his air force, and we had Iraqi soldiers surrendering by the thousands. It was ours for the taking, so why didn't we if that was the reason for us going there?

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com