Well it's pretty much a done deal, but Senator Larry Craig will announce his resignation on Saturday according to Republican officials.
Travis
Friday, August 31, 2007
Bush rides to subprime rescue - Aug. 31, 2007
The one thing that George Bush said in this article that made me breath a sign of relief was this:
One thing the president promised not do was a direct bailout of homeowners facing foreclosures or of lenders with financial problems traced to portfolios of defaulting subprime loans.
Such bailouts, he said, "would only aggravate the problem."
Exactly. It's the whole "you made your bed, now lie in it". If you over extended yourself, sell your house and move into a smaller one or an apartment. No one gets a government bailout for being fiscally irresponsible.
The same goes for Wall Street investors:
Also not prime candidates for government bailouts, in Baker's view, are Wall Street investors who the Bush proposals could help by giving defaulting borrowers an out through FHA refinancing.
Said Baker, "There should be zero interest in helping out Wall Street. You don't want money from taxpayers to go to people who made risky investments."
Exactly. They made risky investments and those investments tanked. Welcome to the wonderful world of Wall Street. No one should get bailed out of their mortgage or their investments in a risky things like companies who loaned $400,000 to someone who works at McDonalds.
China Using Underhanded Tactics In Financial War?
It certainly would make sense if China is making illegal concessions to keep costs low and profits high for it's various businesses.
But the World Trade Organization is looking into it and we'll see what happens. The article is a little short on details, but one part did strike me:
The North American countries accuse Beijing of using WTO-prohibited tax breaks to encourage Chinese companies to boost exports, while imposing tax and tariff penalties to limit purchases of foreign products in China.
If that's true, then China should be severely financially punished for such actions.
Travis
Reid Opens Door to Pact With Antiwar Republicans - washingtonpost.com
You all know the only reason why Reid is willing to "negotiate" now is because he knows that his previous statements of "the war is lost" has pissed off a LOT of people and now he has to do something to make it appear like he's on top of the issue.
"I don't think we have to think that our way is the only way," Reid said of specific dates during an interview in his office here. "I'm not saying, 'Republicans, do what we want to do.' Just give me something that you think you would like to do, that accomplishes some or all of what I want to do."
Bullshit. He was thinking that his way was the only way until he got smacked back by the votes and vetoes of the President. Now that his constituents are pissed, he's rethinking his way around things to try to appease them.
Good job Reid, appeasement always works. :)
Travis
"Redacted" stuns Venice | Entertainment | Entertainment News | Reuters.com
Director Brian De Palma is trying to use a few instances of horrors in Iraq to try to pursue his angle of getting American troops out of Iraq.
A new film about the real-life rape and killing of a 14-year-old Iraqi girl by U.S. soldiers who also murdered her family stunned the Venice festival, with shocking images that left some viewers in tears.
It's the same one sidedness that you'd expect from people like Michael Moore.
Yes the rape and killing of an Iraqi girl and her family did happen. It also meant that soldiers who did an dishonorable, shameful, and horrific act went to prison for their various roles in the attack.
I've made several points both good and bad about Iraq, but because Brian De Palma wants to push his agenda through the eyes of cinema, he doesn't push for the positives. His movie doesn't show schools being opened for the first time, citizens rising up against terrorists, bloodshed going way down, etc.
That's not to say I don't enjoy his other movies, but the difference is that they are just movies, not depictions of real life while you try to push a semi-hidden agenda.
Travis
Corey Feldman, Corey Haim Talk Lindsay, Paris, Britney - Movie News Story | MTV Movie News
Umm...No it isn't you idiot. The behavior problems by the three that you list are their problems only. It's called personal responsibility. It's obviously something you still haven't learned yet.
"I see my life as a series of lessons. So yes, I made some bad choices, but those choices were an opportunity for me to grow and to learn. When you come out the other side, you can feel this overwhelming strength."
Exactly right, YOU made some bad choices. The only way that society is responsible for your choices is if they were made for you by society. Stop playing the blame game and start acting like a man.
You starred in several hit movies and had numerous opportunities to be responsible and live your life in luxury for the remainder of your days. You chose to go down the drunk, drugged up child star way and that's a choice you'll have to live with. Not every child star gets the success that you do, so don't think for a moment that we'll feel sorry for you.
Travis
Sioux City Journal: Judge: Iowa gay marriage ban unconstitutional
Well of course it's unconstitutional. And it should be something that Republicans should support. Now I'm going to get a lot of hate mail from my far right readers, but this needs to be said.
There is nothing wrong with gay people getting married.
Real Republicans are for lesser government, which means you get your nose out of people's businesses. Republicans are for equal, but not special, rights. Gay people just want the same rights as everyone else. Those that want special rights can go screw themselves, but I'll gladly stand up and tell people that they deserve the same rights as I get.
Senator David Johnson wants to add a Constitutional amendment to voters over the matter.
Changing the Constitution of your state because of your own personal religious or warped thinking is something that Iranians do. Leave gay people alone. It's not like they don't get ostracized in public as it is for who they are, don't change a historic document that you live your lives by simply because you think it's wrong for one group of people to have lesser values then you have.
You'll notice however, that the issue of Gay Marriage has split the country on both sides of the issue.
What if we weren't talking about gay people and were talking about black people? Would you get the same reaction? I sincerely doubt it. You have a Senator go up onto TV and say that black folks can't get married because it's against your religious convictions or because it's "wrong" and it's a whole different ball game.
Black people can't change the way they are because they were born that way. Gay people are the same way. They are just gay. There's nothing wrong with them and there's nothing wrong with them getting married and having the same benefits and pitfalls of marriage.
Travis
China says one-child policy helps protect climate - Yahoo! News
Oh of course it's for the climate. Why didn't we all see it before? Such strict birth control sounds good on paper, but wait until you hear all the horror stories about women who are forced to have an abortion or have their babies ripped out of them and beaten against rocks until the child is dead.
Yes, for the climate indeed. It's a barbaric policy that needs to have a spotlight shown on it for the horrible practices that China engages in. If America has to have it's dirty laundry aired, then it's only fair that China gets the same treatment.
Travis
CTV.ca | Taliban vows more abductions as hostages freed
Do you see what happens when you bend over and take it in the ass from terrorists South Korea? They murdered two of your citizens who were there to help people out and you simply said "ok, we'll stop". You won't pursue the killers of your citizens, the Taliban will now start kidnapping and murdering more people because of your complete lack of spine in this instance.
"We will do the same thing with the other allies in Afghanistan, because we found this way to be successful," Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi told The Associated Press by phone on Thursday.
Anyone else who's kidnapped and murdered has their blood on your hands. Had you actually stood up to these people or contacted the American military for help, your two citizens might still be alive and the Taliban, who worked closely with Al-Qaeda would think twice before kidnapping another person.
Good job South Korea, you're fast becoming an international laughing stock.
Travis
Well-placed GOP sources: Craig likely to quit soon - CNN.com
Is Senator Craig going to resign soon? There are rumors abound about his resignation coming as early as today, but with rumors being just rumors, we don't know until it comes straight from the horses mouth.
Personally, I think he should resign. His story doesn't match up to what he plead guilty to and he's offered conflicting statements. First it was a misunderstanding, then it was entrapment.
Sounds fishy to me.
Travis
Senator Craig's Arrest Audio
Here's the full audio to Senator Craig's interview with police after his arrest for the "bathroom stall" incident. It's in mp3 format.
Travis
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Robert Naiman: Slam Dunk: The Bush Administration is Trying to Provoke Iran - Politics on The Huffington Post
Oh how I enjoy the Huffington Post. It's completely filled to the brim with idiotic people who don't want to do even the most elementary research before they go spouting off about their cause du jour or hopping on the next bandwagon.
Case in point, this funny little article.
But details have emerged from the recent escalation that strongly indicate what many have long suspected: the Bush administration's fundamental conflict with Iran is not about its nuclear program or alleged weapons smuggling -- so far unproven -- into Iraq.
So far unproven? What kind of rock has this idiot been hiding under? What about the IED's? What about the weapons? What about the captured insurgents saying they trained in Iran? What about the sniper rifles that were ordered by the Iranian government and then sent into the hands of insurgents?
Unproven? Yeah, maybe if you're an idiot or are completely blind to the evidence at hand.
Here is something very simple Congress could do to indicate that they are serious about preventing the Bush Administration from provoking a war with Iran. They could mandate that U.S. forces in Iraq cannot arrest Iranian government officials who can prove that they are in Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi government, unless they have explicit authorization from the "sovereign" Iraqi government to do so.
The problem with that line of thinking is that we never could have arrested the Iranian diplomats who were actively helping the insurgency kill US troops. When you tie the hands of people who are trying to do their job, it only hampers their ability to do that job.
What this moron is asking US troops to do is ludicrous. They have every right to arrest and detain anyone they think may be committing a crime or working against US interests. These people were arrested and then released.
So you're telling me that US soldiers are supposed to believe a hotel manager over their own gut feeling? If this idiot had his way, even if there was evidence of wrong doing, they couldn't arrest them.
This is the same kind of defeatism that liberals keep pushing for on and on again. Tie the hands of those who are trying to do their job, then complain when they can't do their job to the best of their ability. Ignore overwhelming evidence that Iranians are actively fighting a proxy war with US troops in Iraq while complaining when US soldiers arrest someone for a reason they thought was justified. There are Iranian agents in Iraq right now with and without the permission of the Iraqi government. That doesn't mean that they get free reign of the country and aren't above suspicion.
Maybe if Iran wasn't supporting the insurgency, they wouldn't be getting treated this way.
Personally, if we find out where a bomb factory is or a training facility, I think we should bomb it to rubble, even if it's on the Iranian side of the border. No one is allowed to take pot shots at our guys and get away with it.
Travis
CNN.com - CNN Political Ticker Elizabeth Edwards: Clinton 'hatred' will energize GOP «
That very well may be so, but have you noticed that Elizabeth Edwards is turning into Theresa Heinz - Part 2? She is injecting herself into just about everything John Edwards is doing and is fast making him look like he can not stand on his own two feet.
Sure, there are a lot of people, myself included, who rabidly hate Hillary Clinton. I just cannot support someone who's such a bold faced liar, who'll say anything to get into power, and who simply doesn't "get it" when it comes to America's problems or values.
But if Elizabeth Edwards doesn't stop her pushing John out of the way in the spotlight, you may find that she starts putting off voters, and that'll cost John the nomination for President.
Travis
CNN.com - CNN Political Ticker Lawmaker seeks $64,500 for his portrait «
And he wants to use his campaign money to pay for it. I'm sure that's exactly what his campaign donors were wanting the money to go for when they donated it. An almost $65,000 painting of him.
I don't see why a large photograph can't be taken. You can get a nice photograph of you in a VERY large frame for around $1,000. Use the extra $64,000 to pay off the national debt, give schools extra cushion for things they need, employ the unemployed, ANYTHING other than a painting of yourself.
It makes you look like an egotistical jerk who's only thinking of himself.
Travis
Iraq says Iran continues shelling despite protest - Yahoo! News
Ok, so if the Iraqi's are pissed that Iran is shelling into their territory against the Kurds. Rightfully so. But now it appears that the Iranians are ignoring the Iraqi request to stop.
"Yes, there is a group that opposes the government of Iran, the PJAK, which moves inside the Iraqi border. But this does not justify continuous daily shelling," he said.
"We are not so weak that everyone can interfere and fire shells across our border and we would not do anything about it."
It appears that the Iraqi leadership might be in the beginning of a falling out with Iran. One can only hope. If that were to occur, the entire political landscape will change. Even blind people can see that the Iranians are trying to provoke a fight and say "See! They attacked us for no good reason!" Sooner or later though, it will backfire on them.
Travis
'Drug dealer' tarred, feathered | NEWS.com.au
I always thought that this was something that happened in the olden days or on cartoons. I didn't know it was actually done, let alone something that was done in recent times.
But the UK folks have gotten sick and tired of drug dealers and the lack of support from their police officers, so they tarred and feathered a drug dealer. Of course, the drug dealer in question hasn't turned up to file a police report (probably because he's embarrassed and he's a drug dealer? Just a thought), but I simply cannot allow something like this to take place and not show you a picture. So here it is:
Travis
China says toy recall scare shows protectionist agenda | Reuters
Well that would be a reasonable argument China, if Mattel was the only product recall that has happened to you. However, just TODAY Toys R' Us has had to recall Chinese made toys. I'm quite sure that Toys R' Us is in on the whole "government protectionism conspiracy" that will probably cost them millions.
I'm sure that all companies are just part of a vast conspiracy with the US government, because the Chinese would NEVER make cheap items with as few safety and quality parts and techniques as possible.
Let's cut to the chase, everyone knows China makes inferior grade items and that's why we get them so cheap. The minute that there's a widespread notion of that and a public backlash is when you'll either see the Chinese shape up, or have their economy suffer accordingly.
Travis
100 Pakistani troops 'kidnapped' - CNN.com
Well Musharraf, if you've got 100 of your troops "kidnapped" you shouldn't have any problem sending in thousands of troops into that area to go get them. Or at the very least, allow US troops to swoop in and get the militants for you. We'd be happy to help. :)
Travis
Suspected chemical weapons found at U.N. office - CNN.com
These were found while cleaning out an office. So it's highly unlikely that it was anything related to terrorism. However, what kind of idiot would keep something as dangerous as this chemical in their office? The sheer level of idiocy should be enough for that person to be fired and never allowed back into the US if they are a foreign diplomat.
If it is a US diplomat, they should be stripped of their job immediately and never allowed into any foreign country that deems them too stupid to come into their land.
It really can't be overstated that dealing with chemical weapons is a dangerous thing and to have it in an office building like the UN is idiotic.
Travis
Congress report finds Iraq failing on goals | World | Reuters
3 out of 18 goals is failing by any standard, but I do wonder what the White House Spokesman meant by this statement: "While we've all seen progress in some areas, especially on the security front, it's not surprising the GAO would make this assessment, given the difficult congressionally mandated measurement they had to follow," Johndroe said.
What's the "difficult congressionally mandated measurement" that he's talking about? Was there things in place that made the report more negative then an open and fair assessment? Of those 18 goals, how many of them are on the cusp of being complete?
While it may be true that only 3 of 18 are complete, that gives a very negative picture, but what if another 8 or 10 are just about to be completed within weeks or a few months? That would certainly paint a much different picture than the one I'm hearing from people who are actually there and seeing things first hand.
The Post reported the GAO draft says that while there have been fewer attacks against U.S. forces in Iraq under the new security plan in recent months, the number of attacks against Iraqi civilians remains unchanged.
So fewer attacks on US troops but the attacks on civilians are unchanged means that things aren't improving? Lesser levels of attacks on either group is a welcome change. Of course, I'd like to see the level of attacks go down to zero on both fronts, but even the "negative report" from the GAO is saying that violence levels are going down.
If that's the case, then the upcoming goals should be that much easier to obtain correct?
Travis
Response To John Edwards' Hypocrisy
I received an email from a purported John Edwards supporter earlier today, and with her permission, I will be posting the contents of the email as well as my reply to her below. Of course, I will not be publishing her email address or her first name to protect her privacy.
Travis,
Thank you for sending that message to Mr. John Edwards. I was a big supporter of his until I heard his SUV remarks. How ridiculous.
I am now disabled. I have driven a small car for the last 12 years that got 36 miles per gallon. I had to buy a new vehicle, so I bought a small, so called SUV, that will help me supplement my income by buying and placing candy machines, (which also contribute to charity). I could not move these candy machines without the convenience of a small, what is categorized as an SUV, but is really just a 4 cylinder station wagon. It will get about 30 per gallon after broken in.
Are disabled people going to be asked to give up "convenience" vehicles? ... /Wheel chair accessible vans?
Please use your smarts to pass this on to Mr and Ms Edwards.
Thank you sir,
--
Ms. Davis
My response back to her:
Ms. Davis,
You bring up another good point that I didn't raise. What about people who genuinely need these vehicles? Certainly auto manufacturers will be bringing out more fuel efficient cars, trucks, and SUV's, but what about those who cannot afford a new $30,000 vehicle? I know I certainly can't afford a new car right off the bat. I think John Edwards was trying to make a bold statement to get some publicity for his campaign that is trailing a distant 3rd place. However, all he really ended up doing is showing how he thinks that the rules don't apply to him. It certainly stinks of "do as I say, not as I do". What I do find funny is that he mentions people getting rid of their SUV's, I assume because of getting off of foreign oil, but he doesn't mention the massive amounts of fuel that's needed for his tour buses and private jets.
This is the exact same thing he complained about with the "two America's" speech he gave a while back. He's trying to act like he's for the common man/woman and he's not some rich, snobby type, but then you see overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
It's people like you Ms. Davis that I truly love about this country. Constantly, I see people who complain about how life is not fair and how the government should take care of all their needs, but you don't allow a disability to get in the way of you being a productive member of society. It's the "can do" spirit I admire in people.
If you would like Ms, Davis, I would be happy to post your response to my article on the front page of my site along with my response to you. With your permission of course, I respect the privacy of all my readers. Your name and email address will not be shared or posted anywhere on the site.
If not, no big deal, but I thought that your letter was inspiring enough to warrant the attention of other readers and their reactions.
Thank you very much for your letter. If you have any other questions or comments, please feel free to write to me. I try to reply to all emails from my readers.
Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com
Travis,
Thank you for sending that message to Mr. John Edwards. I was a big supporter of his until I heard his SUV remarks. How ridiculous.
I am now disabled. I have driven a small car for the last 12 years that got 36 miles per gallon. I had to buy a new vehicle, so I bought a small, so called SUV, that will help me supplement my income by buying and placing candy machines, (which also contribute to charity). I could not move these candy machines without the convenience of a small, what is categorized as an SUV, but is really just a 4 cylinder station wagon. It will get about 30 per gallon after broken in.
Are disabled people going to be asked to give up "convenience" vehicles? ... /Wheel chair accessible vans?
Please use your smarts to pass this on to Mr and Ms Edwards.
Thank you sir,
--
Ms. Davis
My response back to her:
Ms. Davis,
You bring up another good point that I didn't raise. What about people who genuinely need these vehicles? Certainly auto manufacturers will be bringing out more fuel efficient cars, trucks, and SUV's, but what about those who cannot afford a new $30,000 vehicle? I know I certainly can't afford a new car right off the bat. I think John Edwards was trying to make a bold statement to get some publicity for his campaign that is trailing a distant 3rd place. However, all he really ended up doing is showing how he thinks that the rules don't apply to him. It certainly stinks of "do as I say, not as I do". What I do find funny is that he mentions people getting rid of their SUV's, I assume because of getting off of foreign oil, but he doesn't mention the massive amounts of fuel that's needed for his tour buses and private jets.
This is the exact same thing he complained about with the "two America's" speech he gave a while back. He's trying to act like he's for the common man/woman and he's not some rich, snobby type, but then you see overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
It's people like you Ms. Davis that I truly love about this country. Constantly, I see people who complain about how life is not fair and how the government should take care of all their needs, but you don't allow a disability to get in the way of you being a productive member of society. It's the "can do" spirit I admire in people.
If you would like Ms, Davis, I would be happy to post your response to my article on the front page of my site along with my response to you. With your permission of course, I respect the privacy of all my readers. Your name and email address will not be shared or posted anywhere on the site.
If not, no big deal, but I thought that your letter was inspiring enough to warrant the attention of other readers and their reactions.
Thank you very much for your letter. If you have any other questions or comments, please feel free to write to me. I try to reply to all emails from my readers.
Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
John Edwards' Hypocrisy
Oh man, how I do love to publicly shame Democratic hypocrisy, and you'll find a perfect example with John Edwards. Today, John told a group of people that Americans should give up their SUV's. Fair enough, I thought, but take a look at this:
Yep, it's our good buddy John Edwards, who loves to complain about "two America's" is asking people to give up their SUV's, but is driving around in an SUV himself. John, stop acting like you're a "man of the people" when you know damn good and well you're doing the same thing Hillary Clinton is doing: Asking people to make sacrifices that you yourself aren't willing to make.
John, just a little bit of advice, if you're going to ask people to do something, make sure you do it yourself as well. Otherwise you look like a pompous asshole who thinks he's above everyone else. Idiot.
Oh and John, I drive around in a 2005 Honda Civic EX that gets anywhere from 40-45mpg. It was rated at 32mpg by Honda. I make an active effort to get that kind of gas mileage because I don't appreciate oil companies and OPEC treating me like I'm their personal piggy bank.
Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com
Yep, it's our good buddy John Edwards, who loves to complain about "two America's" is asking people to give up their SUV's, but is driving around in an SUV himself. John, stop acting like you're a "man of the people" when you know damn good and well you're doing the same thing Hillary Clinton is doing: Asking people to make sacrifices that you yourself aren't willing to make.
John, just a little bit of advice, if you're going to ask people to do something, make sure you do it yourself as well. Otherwise you look like a pompous asshole who thinks he's above everyone else. Idiot.
Oh and John, I drive around in a 2005 Honda Civic EX that gets anywhere from 40-45mpg. It was rated at 32mpg by Honda. I make an active effort to get that kind of gas mileage because I don't appreciate oil companies and OPEC treating me like I'm their personal piggy bank.
Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com
VOA News - Pakistan Minister Says Musharraf-Bhutto Alliance Nearly Complete
We've been keeping an eye on the political scene in Pakistan for a while now because if Musharraf falls, a hard line Islamic militant leadership is quite possible to fill the power vacuum. If that happens, they now have access to nuclear weapons; something the US and anyone else with half a brain can never allow.
Well Musharraf has now decided to share some power with a political enemy, there by hoping to avoid a conflict that may cost him his leadership post.
It's all something that we should be concerned with, especially considering that Osama Bin Laden is believed to be within some areas of Pakistan. If true and a militant leadership replaces Musharraf, you can bet your ass we're going into Pakistan.
Travis
Lebanon slams rights report on Hezbollah war with Israel - Yahoo! News
It appears that Hezbollah doesn't like it when you shine a light on their
cowardice
cowardice
. Hiding amongst civilians, not wearing a uniform, hiding weapons within mosques and civilian homes, then have the nerve to complain when those areas get attacked. Personally, I think if you look at it a certain way, those in Hezbollah are guilty of war crimes.
The Human Rights Watch (HRW) report due for release on Thursday focuses on the extent "Hezbollah targeted or indiscriminately fired its rockets toward civilians and civilian objects" during the 34-day war, according to a statement by the New York-based group.
"Israel during the attacks of July 2006 violated all international conventions," Prime Minister Fuad Siniora's office said in a statement. "It killed nearly 1,200 Lebanese and injured thousands more and 72 hours after UN Resolution 1701 was adopted, it dropped 3.5 million cluster bombs in the south of the country."
Resolution 1701 put a stop to the war that began in July after Hezbollah launched a cross-border attack on Israel and kidnapped two soldiers, whose fate is still unknown.
Hezbollah spokesman Hussein Rahal said Human Rights Watch should start by criticizing Israel.
"We were the victims during this war and people have a right to defend themselves," he told AFP. "We did not target civilians but Israel on the other hand did target the civilian population in Lebanon."
First off, you attacked Israel first with your attack on an outpost on Israeli soldiers. You fired missiles into Israel knowing full well that they would kill civilians. You hid like scared children in civilian areas and then have the nerve to call out on Israel because they attack areas that they are being fired upon from.
Perhaps you should save your dog and pony show for someone who might actually fall for your lies.
Travis
Deported Mexican migrant mom asks Mexican president to return to US as peace ambassador - Print Version - International Herald Tribune
Wow, the nerve of this woman to want to be allowed back into the US after her blatant crimes and actually say that we treat illegal immigrants like terrorists. She wants to be a "peace and justice" ambassador now to the US.
I'm sure that that job is already taken, but she's already got experience using someone else's social security number, so it shouldn't be too hard for her.
She was deported TWICE now, she knew she was an illegal alien, yet came back again, used the social security number of someone else, and had the nerve to say that the US broke the law first. As if that was even true for one, and for two, it would magically excuse her breaking the law as well.
Of course she begged Mexican President Felipe Calderon to get her a visa to the US, which of course they will be happy to try because they look at the US as a pressure relief valve for when they can't fill the needs of their own citizens, they just allow them to come to the US to use our resources. That's why Mexico gets all up in a tissy when we mention border security and a fence between our nations. Why else would they be upset because we wanted to secure our borders?
Calderon asked Foreign Secretary Patricia Espinosa to "look into the situation that Mrs. Arellano and her son face and to approach U.S. authorities so that we can respond to (her) request," it said.
How's this? NO. She broke several of our laws and had the arrogance to blame us for it. So screw off and live in the country where you were born.
Travis
John McQuaid: America's Failure in New Orleans - Politics on The Huffington Post
Let me explain a few things to you guys without trying to sound like a heartless prick:
People lived in a known lower than sea level area. They didn't take the necessary precautions to get out in time. There was almost a week's worth of notice to these people. Hell, you can walk pretty damned far over the course of a week.
The Federal government isn't going to help you as much as you'd like to think. They aren't going to cut you a check for absolutely every last dime you lost and they certainly won't help you rebuild. That's what insurance is for. Don't have insurance? Tough. I know it sounds heartless, but I am insured to the eyeballs for just about every situation that can possibly arise.
Sure, insurance companies will try to weasel their way out of things, but if someone was properly insured against wind, water, fire, and earthquakes, the insurance companies would have no where to turn. That's why insurance companies are trying to say that the wind caused damage in one area and that the water caused damage in another.
It's been two years since Katrina hit, yet there are people saying that it looks like it hit only yesterday. Who's fault is that? Surely, you can't blame Bush for all your failings. If you want your neighborhood to be cleaned up, pick up a broom and start cleaning. Rent a bulldozer for the debris.
"If George Bush's government were as good and decent and focused as the people of New Orleans, whole parts of the city would not still look like the storm just hit. This is a national disgrace," said Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, who launched his campaign last year from the devastated Ninth Ward.
No John, you're the disgrace because you want to hand hold people when they need to learn to stand on their own. There are people who's housing rent is being picked up by the government TO THIS DAY. THAT'S a disgrace.
The Federal government can't be blame for everything that goes wrong in your lives, especially if you think that they'll magically show up with helicopters and building materials to put everything back in order once the storm dies down.
I'm sorry if I sound like a heartless prick, but come on, it's been two years since Katrina, and I know rebuilding takes time, but let's look at it logically. It didn't take two years to rebuild after Hurricane Andrew and that was on par with the damage caused by Katrina. You didn't hear rap stars going on about how the President hates retired people who were most hit by Andrew. It's because it was a different time then. It was when people would just stand up, take care of the sick and wounded, and move on with their lives.
I'm really not trying to sound heartless here, I'm really not, but when people seem to expect the government to hand hold them throughout their ordeal, all the way until years later, it makes you wonder about the spirit inside of these people. Dust yourselves off, count your blessings that no one else was hurt or killed, and rebuild. It's as simple as that.
Travis
ARTICLE: Gun-rights advocates stage protest at Norfolk council meeting (The Virginian-Pilot - HamptonRoads.com/PilotOnline.com)
Make a mental note, EVERYONE in Virginia is armed to the teeth. And it's legal for them to be carrying a weapon fully exposed. I can actually respect a society like that. It keeps people from getting robbed or murdered as often as other places that isn't armed like Britain.
It's just helpful that the police know that it's legal and don't arrest a law abiding citizen.
Szymecki was arrested for violating a city ordinance banning guns at Harborfest - an ordinance that officials now acknowledge violates state law. City Attorney Bernard A. Pishko said city officials were unaware of a state law prohibiting localities from banning guns.
Don't you think it would be a responsible thing to find out if the law you're creating doesn't contradict a higher, over ruling law that governs your entire state? Don't you think it would be a bit prudent to hire a competent attorney to find these things out?
Idiots like this are the reason why Gun Control people are so idiotic. They put their own views before the rights of others and now it's going to cost taxpayers money because the city is now probably going to get sued for their incompetence.
Travis
Swedish paper defends publishing Mohammad drawing | World | Reuters
Ahh the Swedes. They have a pair. God love em for this little diddy:
A Swedish newspaper on Wednesday defended its publication of a drawing depicting the head of the Muslim Prophet Mohammad on the body of a dog, following an official protest from Iran.
"This is unacceptable self-censorship," the newspaper wrote in an editorial on its Web site on Wednesday, referring to the reluctance by galleries to exhibit Vilks's drawings.
"The right to freedom of religion and the right to blaspheme religions go together," it wrote.
"This newspaper has always been very eager to defend Muslim rights in Sweden and freedom of religion overall. But we are also very clear that the freedom of speech goes hand-in-hand with that."
It's a politically correct way of saying "go fuck yourself" to the Iranian's who are just wanting to get people to cower at the mere thought of offending Muslims. Yet you won't hear Iran or the Sweden's Muslim Council's calls for being offended when cartoons are drawn that show depictions of offensive stuff to Jews, Christians, Buddhists or any other religion. That's because they're hypocrites.
Travis
Real people, real mortgage nightmares - CNN.com
This is a perfect example of who's at fault with the current mortgage "crisis". The people who borrowed the money are the one's who are at fault first and foremost.
This is the story of Connie and Timothy Pent:
Their troubles began in April 2006 when they refinanced the remaining $207,000 on a 30-year fixed loan to a two-year adjustable rate mortgage so they could pay down hefty obligations on their SUV and pickup truck.
A mortgage broker informed them just before the closing that the remaining debt would be $3,500 more than expected, but they signed anyway.
With their new payments, a sequence of events left them unable to keep up. First Connie's mother moved out and stopped helping out with mortgage payments. Then her husband Timothy lost his job at a mobile home factory because of the housing industry slump.
Their loan servicing company first demanded payments, then stopped returning their calls.
"We probably should have been better prepared for it," Connie said. "When the job goes, unfortunately, so does everything else."
Ok, wait a minute. You refinanced your home because you had "hefty obligations" on your SUV and truck? Why did you purchase these vehicles in the first place? It's only a year and a half later since your troubles began, why such a quick turn around? Why did you think that a 30 year fixed loan was better than a 2 year adjustable rate loan? Your first clue should have been the additional, unexplained $3,500 to your principle. That would have set off alarm bells in my head.
Also, you were counting on your mother to help out with the mortgage payment? NEVER do that. Only count on you and your spouse. If you're counting on other family members to be able to afford your mortgage, you are mortgaging too much. You're doing something wrong.
Then you lose your job. I don't blame Timothy for that, job loss happens to everyone, including myself. However, I actually PLAN on losing my job when I purchase something major like a car or a home. I want to know if I do lose my job, for whatever reason, I can still afford my purchase. It's simple financial responsibility. My wife and I could both lose our jobs and, while things would be VERY tight, we could afford our mortgage and our day to day expenses. Sure, we'd have to cut back on things like eating out and our satellite dish service, but we could make it because we are financially responsible.
But not everyone is doing the "feel sorry for people who overextend themselves" bandwagon.
David Downs, a professor of real estate at Virginia Commonwealth University, believes blame for the current quagmire falls on all involved. But he says the consumer should be held accountable first.
"If somebody takes on financial risk, it's incumbent on the consumer to understand that," Downs said.
Exactly. You have to understand what you're getting into. If you don't, get someone who does understand it and will explain it to you. An attorney is an excellent advisor. Sure, it'll cost you a few hundred dollars for one, but would you rather be out a few hundred or lose your home because you overextended yourself?
But here's the kicker. Tell me if you feel sorry for these people after you read this:
The Pents grieve losing their three-acre property in the middle of horse country, with its swimming pool and fish pond.
"It was my dad's house," said Connie, 39, an elementary school receptionist. "It's quiet, it's open -- we love it."
You mean to tell me that you have a three acre home with a swimming pool and a fish pond? I don't have those things. Just because it was your dad's house doesn't mean that you get a pass on financial responsibility. Let me put it to you this way. My home is just a house that my wife and I live in. If something were to happen to it (fire, flood, etc), I won't be heartbroken or anything like that because it's just wood, carpet, and concrete. The only thing that matters to me is my family. If we're ok, we can rebuild or buy another home. That's what being an American is all about. Dusting yourself off when life kicks you in the teeth and getting back in the saddle. None of this victim mentality. None of this "the government should help me out" crap that you've been seeing lately.
If the government does indeed step in to help these people with their mortgages like Hillary Clinton says she wants to, I will loudly protest and call and email them to make my mortgage payments. How fair is it that they get a pass when I have been responsible and made sure I didn't overextend myself and get a house with a pool and fish pond and I don't?
Travis
Anti-U.S. cleric suspends his militia in Iraq - CNN.com
Well this is....odd to say the least. Moqtada al-Sadr has ordered his militia to be suspended for six months for "restructuring". What that means is anyone's guess, but if, and this is a BIG if, he wants to stop the attacks against US interests and wants to peacefully work towards Iraqi nation building, I'm cautiously for it.
That being said, if it turns out to be a ruse and he's only doing it to keep our guys off his ass while he rebuilds, I say slaughter them all.
"For the sake of public interest, we have decided to issue the following: Suspend the Mehdi Army, with no exception, for a maximum of six months starting from the date of this release, to restructure it in a way that would preserve its ideological principles," al-Araji said.
Travis
Craig stepping down from senate committees - CNN.com
Senator Larry "I'm not gay" Craig will be temporarily resigning his posts in various committees. There are also calls for his resignation from John McCain and other prominent Republicans.
However, what I really want to know is, why didn't the Democrats do the same thing with William Jefferson? Sure, Senator Craig did something wrong and he'll pay for it, but it certainly had nothing to do with his capacity for him to do his job. I think he's doing the right thing in resigning his posts until people decide what they want to do with him.
But William Jefferson was worse. He accepted bribes while in office for things that directly had to do with his job. Sure, there were a few Democrats who spoke up, but in the end, what did they do? Well Nancy "we'll make this the most honest and open Congress in history" Pelosi, not only promoted him, but she promoted him to a position that had access to classified materials.
Do you think it's a good idea to "punish" the fox by putting him in a henhouse? Classified materials are all the more juicy and would lead a known corrupt politician to be even more tempted to accept bribes.
Personally, I think Senator Craig should be removed from office. I think that someone who has a judgement lapse like that doesn't deserve to hold office. However, I don't believe that there's a law or a rule in Congress that says you can't be a felon and still be a member of Congress.
Travis
MoveOn Targets Pro-Surge Dem In New Ad - Politics on The Huffington Post
Check out the rabid response to Brian Baird's support for continuing on with the Iraq war.
Now the moveon people are attacking him and his credibility because Brian Baird actually went over to Iraq, did his own research, and came to his own conclusions.
Now name calling is starting to happen on Huffington Post's website.
rras has this to say:
So he isn't a "Bush Loyalist". Then what else is he. Look, if you play with crap you'll smell just like crap. Either you go one way or the other. Baird and others like him need to set the record straight right now. If you back Bush you'll lose and it's all up to you. Just remember there is only room for one Lieberman and he only won because of the Jews voting blindly.
Of course not all were negative:
gvincent:
He isn't a "Bush Loyalist," he has a different opinion on the war than other democrats. There isn't a checklist that you have to fill out to be confirmed into a political ideology.
The problem that I see is a completely hypocritical stance within the Democratic Party. If Republicans vote or support George W. Bush, they are accused of being "cronies" or "towing the party lines". However, because Baird, a Democrat, is supporting the Iraq war until the Iraqi's get their on their feet, he's being called names and worse. How is that any different from you accusing people of "towing the party line"? You're bashing Baird for not "towing the party line".
I have personally heard Baird say that what he would like to see is the Iraqi's continue to get on their feet, and if all is going well by April, which is looks like it will be, he wants to start withdrawing troops.
Where's the problem with that? I actually agree with that. There's no reason why we should be there forever. That would be a massive financial drain on our economy. But to leave the Iraqi's when they need us most is irresponsible and will create more terrorists then you can imagine.
For example: Say we do leave tomorrow. There's a terrorist attack and it kills scores of people. Who do you think they're going to blame? They are going to say "The American's left us defenseless. I'm going to get even with them". Now you have someone who's lost loved ones who's angry at us and has nothing left to lose.
No one, not even the most hawkish Republican is saying we need to stay in Iraq forever. We're just saying that we can only leave when we've gotten the Iraqi's on their feet.
Travis
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Power Line: MSNBC, CNBC Refuse to Run Pro-War Ads
You mean to tell me MSNBC and CNBC are biased? Say it isn't so! But Keith Olbermann, don't complain about Freedom of Speech when your own network refuses to air ads that disagree with their own points of view. I know Keith isn't in control of such things, but he never points out the hypocrisy of those within his political party, and he certainly won't do the same about his boss.
Travis
Big Source of Clinton's Cash Is an Unlikely Address - WSJ.com
Tell me this doesn't sound fishy to you:
Six members of the Paw family, each listing the house at 41 Shelbourne Ave. as their residence, have donated a combined $45,000 to the Democratic senator from New York since 2005, for her presidential campaign, her Senate re-election last year and her political action committee. In all, the six Paws have donated a total of $200,000 to Democratic candidates since 2005, election records show.
It isn't obvious how the Paw family is able to afford such political largess. Records show they own a gift shop and live in a 1,280-square-foot house that they recently refinanced for $270,000. William Paw, the 64-year-old head of the household, is a mail carrier with the U.S. Postal Service who earns about $49,000 a year, according to a union representative. Alice Paw, also 64, is a homemaker. The couple's grown children have jobs ranging from account manager at a software company to "attendance liaison" at a local public high school. One is listed on campaign records as an executive at a mutual fund.
Lawrence Barcella, a Washington attorney representing Mr. Hsu, said in a separate email: "You are barking up the wrong tree. There is no factual support for this story and if Mr. Hsu's name was Smith or Jones, I don't believe it would be a story." He didn't elaborate.
No of course not, we don't investigate anyone who's white and has the last name of Smith or Jones. Idiot attorney's like to play the race card every time they can get a chance to do it.
Kent Cooper, a former disclosure official with the Federal Election Commission, said the two-year pattern of donations justifies a probe of possible violations of campaign-finance law, which forbid one person from reimbursing another to make contributions.
"There are red lights all over this one," Mr. Cooper said.
There is no public record or indication Mr. Hsu reimbursed the Paw family for their political contributions.
If the FEC guy is saying that it's fishy, I tend to believe him. The only question to me is, is Hillary knowingly taking larger then normal contributions from these people, and is she breaking the law by doing so?
Travis
Iran Prepared to Fill Iraq Power Vacuum
Sounds like a deal with the devil to me. Of course they're willing to "help out" in Iraq. They've been taking pot shots at our guys for quite some time now and they'd be happy to step in and loot the country that they fought for a long 8 years in the 80's.
But that doesn't deter one politician. One who sees through their bullshit rhetoric and is willing to call them on their nuclear program: Bush? Nope. Blair? Nope. France's President Sarkozy. FRANCE? Let me look at that report again. Yep, says France.
Sarkozy is saying that if diplomacy doesn't work, then airstrikes against their nuclear program are certainly in order.
"This initiative is the only one that can enable us to escape an alternative that I say is catastrophic: the Iranian bomb or the bombing of Iran," he said, adding that it was the worst crisis currently facing the world.
Sarkozy criticized Russia for its dealings on the international stage. "Russia is imposing its return on the world scene by using its assets, notably oil and gas, with a certain brutality," he said.
"When one is a great power, one should not be brutal."
Energy disputes between Russia and neighbors such as Belarus and Ukraine have raised doubts in Europe about Moscow's reliability as a gas exporter. It supplies Europe, via its neighbors, with around a quarter of its gas demands.
Sarkozy had warm words for the United States, saying friendship between the two countries was important. But he said he felt free to disagree with American policies, highlighting what he called a lack of leadership on the environment.
I simply cannot believe this is coming from a French President. Tough words followed up with diplomacy. Now are they willing to back those words up, or are they simply empty words? The Iranian government thinks they are empty words.
They call him "inexperienced" and dismiss his words. That might be a dangerous thing to do Iran. You simply have no idea if there's a storm brewing over your continued defiance of the UN and for your calls for the destruction of Israel.
With France having it's own problems with Muslim "students" who riot and such, maybe it's time that the French are starting to grow a pair? One would hope so.
Travis
The Connecticut Post Online - Town Council drops pants ordinance
Finally a town that sees through the bullshit and thought that they might have better things to do. I am starting to feel better now.
Travis
Police report: Senator signaled desire for 'lewd conduct' - CNN.com
Well it appears that our friend Senator Larry Craig has been arrested at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport for "lewd conduct".
I wonder what might become of this:
Rated 100% by the Christian Coalition: a pro-family voting record. (Dec 2003)
Looks like you can kiss that 100% rating goodbye Mr. Craig. If he's convicted, I don't think it will mean much, but he certainly has a LOT of explaining to do when he gets home. :)
Personally, I think if anyone is convicted of a felony while serving in Congress, they ought to be removed from office. They don't trust bank tellers who've been convicted of a felony, why not one of the most powerful people in America to be held to the same standards?
Travis
Taliban: Korean hostages to be released - CNN.com
Well it looks like the South Korean's caved into Taliban demands today and got 19 hostages released and agreed to stop using troops in anything other than engineering or medical capacities.
Wow, I didn't think that South Korea would bend over and take it like this. They bent to the will of a group of people who shielded Osama Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda members, allowed them to set up terrorist training camps, and refused to hand over Al-Qaeda members when it was clear they were responsible for 9/11.
South Korea, how could you have fallen so far and surrendered to terrorists like this? I thought you could be counted on as a friend. Instead, when the going gets tough, you go softer then a pillow top mattress.
Travis
My Experiences With Brian Baird and Jon Soltz - Part 2
So, last night I heard that my Representative Brian Baird was going to be in Vancouver doing a town hall meeting over his change in his stance in the Iraq war. He was now supporting it and was facing his critics. Should be fun and I'll get to see some fireworks, I thought.
Well there was and more. First off, I arrived at Fort Vancouver High School's auditorium with about 500 other people around 7pm and sat there for a while and listened to what he had to say.
Let me tell you something, he's about the only Democrat in the whole of Congress I have respect for. He told everyone about his conceptions of what to expect when he went to Iraq twice (at his own personal expense) and that he came back with an overwhelming feeling of things were improving from our soldiers, regional leaders and Iraqi civilians.
He also saw the carnage that can happen in Iraq and came to the same conclusion that I did a while ago: If we leave these people, they will be slaughtered, a theocracy will be set up, and we will eventually have to go back and destroy the militants all over again. He said he was 95% certain of that.
But while he's talking, I see a man who's over dressed for the occasion. He's wearing a suit and tie, hair combed nicely, he just didn't fit in. I couldn't see his face, but I thought he was with the security detail. Then he started to talk. I didn't catch his name at first, but he sounded REALLY familiar. Then I heard Brian Baird say "I appreciate your opinion Mr. Soltz".
"MOTHERFUCKER!", I thought, "it CAN'T be JON SOLTZ" can it? Sure enough, I caught a glimpse of his face. Sure enough it was him. The same Jon Soltz who berated a soldier who was saying that the surge in Iraq was working at Yearly Kos for "talking about politics in my uniform". I wrote about it earlier.
So, I decided that I'd corner Jon about his little bit of hypocrisy and see what he had to say. After he was done berating Brian Baird (not rudely mind you), he was shaking hands, and waiting for the press to get ready to interview him. I was standing behind him when the press were just gathering around him. About 5 or so reporters were writing things down when I asked him these questions:
"Mr. Soltz, first off, I'd like to thank you for your service to our country". I shook his hand because I was sincere in that regard. Anyone who picks up a weapon and defends my country, I have an immediate respect for, regardless of their political viewpoint.
Travis:
"Mr. Soltz, you berated a soldier at Yearly Kos for wearing a uniform while talking about politics"
Jon:
"I acted like an asshole to that soldier. I should have handled it better."
Travis: "But Mr. Soltz, don't you think it's a tad hypocritical that you berated this man who wasn't talking about politics, only about the successes he's seen in Iraq after the surge, when you have a political website and there's a picture of you in uniform?"
Jon:
Who was taken aback mind you.
"Well......I have the right to use that photo in any way I want..." and he trailed off for a second.
All the while, reporters are writing furiously. I don't know if they were writing about what we were talking about, but they were writing as fast as they could.
Travis:
"Well Mr. Soltz, if you do have that right, which I'm not contesting, don't you think it makes you look like a hypocritical jerk if you're going to berate someone for something and then turn around and appear to do the exact same thing"?
Jon:
"Thank you for your time, I have to go talk to these people now".
I didn't push the issue as there were a lot of people around and I still didn't get to ask my questions to Brian Baird and I didn't want to be asked to leave. But I think I got my point across.
So I listened to what Rep. Baird had to say. He gave example after example along with facts to back up his opinion, but most of the crowd wasn't having any of it.
What I really was disgusted with was the manners of everyone in the audience. Regardless of your stance on issues, people would shout out their opinions without waiting for anyone else to finish what they were saying.
Some people brought up the fact that we don't go into other countries that need our help, so I thought I'd stick up for Mr. Baird and said "We went into Liberia when no one else would. How many other nations are in Liberia?"
That shut the guy up pretty quickly. What I also noticed was the complete lack of homework done by the anti-war crowd. They had no clue about the region, how it works, or even who the major players were.
Several people asked why surrounding countries like Iran, Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia weren't helping, I knew I was in for a treat. Mr. Baird said point blank: "you don't want the Iranian or Syrian's help" Jordan and other allies in the region aren't going to help because their view point is "we didn't have these problems before the invasion".
Mr. Baird seemed to have a good grasp on things and really had done his homework on the issue. I must say I was very impressed by a Democrat, which as you all know, doesn't happen often.
So then one person asked why can't we just leave the mess as is. The guy who asked it was obviously a college student who had ZERO responsibilities in his life. Mr. Baird asked him if he broke something would he replace it or fix it? The guy was speechless.
Then there was the run on guys. There were dozens of people standing there waiting to ask their questions, and some people would just drone on and on about various things that were "wrong" in their head but they never actually asked a question or made a statement. It pissed off a lot of people. There were cat calls of "get to the point"!
Well around 11:00 last night, I finally got to my turn to ask my questions. However, they were going to call it a night so I only got 1 minute to say my piece.
I gave Mr. Baird a disclaimer: "I must warn you, I'm a Republican". His head bowed a little bit waiting for the next attack to come. "However, I voted for you twice". He said "Thank you". I told him "You're the best man for the job when I voted for you, and you're the best man for the job now". His ears perked up.
I asked Mr. Baird about the Iranian threat because of the sniper rifle situation where they bought expensive sniper rifles to fight "drug dealers" only to have hundreds of them end up in insurgents hands within 6 weeks of delivery. I wrote about it here earlier. As soon as I mentioned the Iranian sniper rifles being delivered to insurgents and that it was confirmed by the weapon's manufacturer, his ears and whole demeanor perked right up.
He pointed at me and agreed whole heartedly. I got a few people who said I was lying or worse, but Mr. Baird came to my defense: "what he is saying is 100% true, that was a recently declassified document. I'm glad you did your homework". I looked around at the people who said I was lying and said: "Apparently you didn't do yours". I got sneered at.
His answer wasn't as clear as I would have liked. He said that we are isolating and undermining the Iranian government with sanctions and "other methods". He said that the Iranian threat was real and that to underestimate them or to "go it alone" would be a mistake that we would all pay for.
But the best part was when a man behind me said "Don't bomb Iran". So, I had enough at this point and turned to him and said: "Ok genius, if you're so smart, with the Iranians supporting a very large portion of the insurgency in Iraq, how would you combat it". I made sure to make my comments loud enough for the auditorium to hear. He didn't have an answer. I asked him "Well if we're not bombing Iran, what should we do. Don't chastise Mr. Baird if you don't have a solution yourself. Just saying "Don't bomb Iran" isn't good enough if you don't have an alternative, so let's hear it. We're waiting". He again was speechless.
After 11:30, it was time to wrap things up. Being that I actually have ideas for the Representative, I stuck around and spoke with him face to face. I told him that the biggest complaint right now is the lack of electricity. Most Iraqis are without electricity and have to use generators. Using generators means that you can't power all of the stuff you want to do when you're at home, so you have to pick and choose. That usually means the air conditioner and a few appliances at most. I told him to get electricity up and running as quickly as possible and the insurgency will go down.
Think about that for a moment. If you're in 120 degree heat all day, every day, you tend to get angry and snap at the smallest things. If you have electricity and are sitting in a 70 degree room when it's 120 outside, then you feel much better. Besides, when you go from 70-120 degrees, you tend to want to stay inside as much as possible.
I thanked the Representative for his time, told him thanks for taking a beating, thanked him for truly researching the topic and coming to his own conclusions, even though it meant that he would be taking the road he thought was right instead of what was popular. That to me is what leadership is about. It means that you follow in your own heart what you think is right and what is in the best interests of the people. No one, with the exception of Jon Soltz even began to know what they were talking about, let alone actually have been in Iraq to understand the complexities of the region.
With General Petraeus's report coming from the White House (which Baird said was a mistake), he said he agrees with General Petraeus in that we should start bringing our guys home in around the springtime if current levels of Iraqi progress holds.
Mr. Baird also suggested that we have another town hall meeting in April to discuss any successes or failures. He mentioned that his general thoughts are, sustain the current levels until April, then gradually bring troops home as the Iraqis start to fend for themselves. They are already starting to show signs of standing on their own two feet, so why yank the rug out from underneath them when they are still in training wheels?
He also mentioned that there will be car bombs that go off and occasional assassinations, but it will go down. And I believe him.
Travis
Monday, August 27, 2007
My Experiences With Brian Baird And Jon Soltz
I went to a town hall meeting and MAN do I have some stories for you all. Unfortunately, you'll have to wait until tomorrow as I have to get to bed.
Travis
Travis
Dems: Investigations Will Continue - Politics on The Huffington Post
Oh of course the investigation will continue. I wouldn't have it any other way. However, with Democrats doing the "investigating", even if they do find wrong doing on Gonzales' part (which they will because he lied to Congress), they simply don't have the backbone to do anything about it.
The nominee must also pledge to cooperate with ongoing congressional oversight into the conduct of the White House in the politicization of federal law enforcement. Hearings on the nominee will provide Congress with another opportunity to examine the new, flawed FISA law and will aid in our efforts to improve it.
So here we have Nancy Pelosi denouncing the "politicization of federal law enforcement" but then she turns around and tries to politicize the new FISA law.
Sometimes I wonder if she actually reads the press releases she puts out before they are printed or if she's really that dumb.
Travis
The Ongoing Hunt for Osama bin Laden - Newsweek: World News - MSNBC.com
If this is true, I want Ali dead:
By mid-October, CIA case officers and Army, Navy, and Air Force Special Operations units were working together in unusual harmony, using high-tech air support and, at one point, mounting what Rumsfeld gleefully called "the first cavalry charge of the 21st century" to kill, capture or chase away thousands of jihadists. The Taliban fled for the hills. Bin Laden, it seemed, would be cornered. Indeed, on Dec. 15, CIA operatives listening on a captured jihadist radio could hear bin Laden himself say "Forgive me" to his followers, pinned down in their mountain caves near Tora Bora.
As it happened, however, the hunt for bin Laden was unraveling on the very same day. As recalled by Gary Berntsen, the CIA officer in charge of the covert team working with the Northern Alliance, code-named Jawbreaker, the military refused his pleas for 800 Army Rangers to cut off bin Laden's escape. Maj. Gen. Dell Dailey, the Special Ops commander sent out by Central Command, told Berntsen he was doing an "excellent job," but that putting in ground troops might offend America's Afghan allies. "I don't give a damn about offending our allies!" Berntsen yelled, according to his 2005 book, "Jawbreaker." "I only care about eliminating Al Qaeda and delivering bin Laden's head in a box!" (Dailey, now the State Department's counterterror chief, told NEWSWEEK that he did not want to discuss the incident, except to say that Berntsen's story is "unsubstantiated.")
Berntsen went to Crumpton, his boss at the CIA, who described to NEWSWEEK his frantic efforts to appeal to higher authority. Crumpton called CENTCOM's commander, Gen. Tommy Franks. It would take "weeks" to mobilize a force, Franks responded, and the harsh, snowy terrain was too difficult and the odds of getting bin Laden not worth the risk. Frustrated, Crumpton went to the White House and rolled out maps of the Pakistani-Afghan border on a small conference table. President Bush wanted to know if the Pakistanis could sweep up Al Qaeda on the other side. "No, sir," Crumpton responded. (Vice President Dick Cheney did not say a word, Crumpton recalled.) The meeting was inconclusive. Franks, who declined to comment, has written in his memoirs that he decided, along with Rumsfeld, that to send troops into the mountains would risk repeating the mistake of the Soviets, who were trapped and routed by jihadist guerrilla fighters in the 1980s (helped out, it should be recalled, with Stinger missiles provided by the CIA).
To catch bin Laden, the CIA was left to lean on local tribesmen, a slender reed. NEWSWEEK recently interviewed two of the three tribal chiefs involved in the operation, Hajji Zahir and Hajji Zaman. They claimed that the CIA overly relied on the third chieftain, Hazrat Ali—and that Ali was paid off (to the tune of $6 million) by Al Qaeda to let bin Laden slip away. Ali could not be reached for comment. But Crumpton, who admits that he has no hard evidence, told NEWSWEEK he is "confident" that a payoff allowed Al Qaeda to escape. Unsure which side would win, some tribesmen apparently hedged by taking money from both sides.
Allowing Al-Qaeda members or even Osama Bin Laden to escape is in of itself something I wouldn't have a bit of problem with a member of our military killing this guy. To take $6 million from us and then let our enemies slip by means only that he can't be trusted and he can't be allowed to live. Of course, that all depends on if it's true or not.
The article shows that had we gotten our act together and worked towards finding Osama instead of worrying about success rates and offending people, it's quite conceivable that Bin Laden would be in the hands of US interrogators or even dead now.
The American effort to chase bin Laden into this forbidding realm was hobbled and clumsy from the start. While the terrain required deep local knowledge and small units, career officers in the U.S. military have long been wary of the Special Operations Forces best suited to the task. In the view of the regular military, such "snake eaters" have tended to be troublesome, resistant to spit-and-polish discipline and rulebooks. Rather than send the snake eaters to poke around mountain caves and mud-walled compounds, the U.S. military wanted to fight on a grander stage, where it could show off its mobility and firepower. To the civilian bosses at the Pentagon and the eager-to-please top brass, Iraq was a much better target.
Am I an asshole for thinking that these "snake eaters" might be the best for the job? I don't care how they operate as long as the job gets done. You had to torture Bin Laden's bodyguard to get to Bin Laden before you capture him? Wow, that's a neat story. I'm sure you'll share it with your buddy's back at home. Let's go get a bite to eat. I wouldn't think twice about things like that. If smaller forces are better than larger ones in this situation, THEN USE SMALLER FORCES! Hell, just use LOTS of smaller forces if it's a dick waving contest you're after, but I want the guy responsible for killing 3,000 members of my nation captured or killed.
The frustrations of the snake eaters are well illustrated by the recollections of Adam Rice, the operations sergeant of a Special Forces A-Team working out of a safe house near Kandahar in 2002. With his close-cropped orange hair and beard, wearing a yellow Hawaiian shirt around the safe house, Rice was not the sort to shine at inspections at boot camp. But he had lived in Kabul as a child (his father had been a USAID worker) and he had been a Special Forces operator for more than two decades. In July 2002, a CIA case officer told Rice that a figure believed to be Mullah Omar, the one-eyed chief of the Taliban, had been tracked by aerial drone to a location in the Shahikot Valley, a short flight to the north. The Taliban chief and his entourage would be vulnerable to a helicopter assault, but the Americans had to move quickly.
Rice was not optimistic about getting timely permission. Whenever he and his men moved within five kilometers of the safe house, he says, they had to file a request form known as a 5-W, spelling out the who, what, when, where and why of the mission. Permission from headquarters took hours, and if shooting might be involved, it was often denied. To go beyond five kilometers required a CONOP (for "concept of operations") that was much more elaborate and required approval from two layers in the field, and finally the Joint Special Operations Task Force at Baghram air base near Kabul. To get into a fire fight, the permission of a three-star general was necessary. "That process could take days," Rice recalled to NEWSWEEK. He often typed forms while sitting on a 55-gallon drum his men had cut in half to make a toilet seat. "We'd be typing in 130-degree heat while we're crapping away with bacillary dysentery and sometimes the brass at Kandahar or Baghram would kick back and tell you the spelling was incorrect, that you weren't using the tab to delimit the form correctly."
But Rice made his request anyway. Days passed with no word. The window closed; the target—whether Mullah Omar or not—moved on.
COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE! If you know where someone is, then go get them. Don't wait for permission. I would gladly give you the shirt of my back and a place to stay if the military brass came down hard on you and you lost everything. I would gladly open my doors to welcome you if you had caught Omar, Bin Laden, or al-Zawahiri. GLADLY!
But wait, it gets better:
In Pakistan, President Musharraf was wary of his American allies in the War on Terror. In 2002, he told a high-ranking British official: "My great concern is that one day the United States is going to desert me. They always desert their friends." According to this official, who declined to be identified sharing a confidence, Musharraf cited the U.S. pullouts from Vietnam in the 1970s, Lebanon in the 1980s and Somalia in the 1990s. Still, he quickly gave the Americans considerable leeway to operate inside Pakistan. He did not demand prior approval of Predator attacks, and he allowed "hot pursuit" for American forces five kilometers or more inside the border. (With a grim laugh, one U.S. officer interviewed by NEWSWEEK recalled watching on Predator video as insurgents fled across the border and stopped on what they thought was safe terrain—until a U.S. Special Ops helo reared up and blasted them.) Musharraf told the Americans he understood that they would do what they had to do to attack high-value targets, although he indicated the Pakistanis might have to issue pro forma denunciations. His one request, said a U.S. official who dealt directly with the Pakistani leader, was that bin Laden not be captured alive and be brought to trial in Pakistan.
See what I mean about pulling out too early in the case of Iraq? We have earned a reputation of leaving our friends high and dry. Do that, and when you need someone most, they tend to be wary of you. The only reason why Musharraf worked with us on this was because 9/11 was an event that was unprecedented and the entire world had been with us on that. However, Musharraf knew that if Bin Laden were captured and brought to trial in Pakistan, it would be a bloodbath to free him.
Personally, I don't care how the job gets done, I just want it done. Get Bin Laden. This article shows great incompetence in Rumsfeld and others and if true, would make me hate him and other people like him who made such classic blunders in getting Bin Laden. The longer he goes without capture or being killed, the more people will start to think maybe we're just that "paper tiger" that he's said we were all along.
Travis
Steep Price Paid by Those Who Blew Whistle on Iraq Fraud - CommonDreams.org
Well this is surely disheartening. It's a story about people who have blown the whistle on fraud, corruption and other things that are costing taxpayers like you and me billions, but yet, they are retaliated against and their careers and families are ripped apart.
Personally, I'd think a lawsuit or two is in order. If you show me that there's corruption in a company, then there's retaliation, you can bet your ass that there should be a MASSIVE fine for such behavior. It only takes one too. Have a $100 million dollar fine against a contractor and ALL other contractors will notice and you'll start to see better accounting for their actions.
Travis
China blames U.S. for toy scares - CNN.com
Well of course it's the US' fault, isn't it? Everything else seems to be. China is desperate to share the blame for their crappy quality control and constant cutting corners to save a few bucks, so they don't want to be seen as the sole person responsible.
Solution? Why, let's blame Americans! Everyone blames Americans! Hurricanes, Tsunamis, Recession? It's the American's fault!
Grow up China, the only real person to blame here is you for your lead based paint and poisoned pajamas. Design flaw? Perhaps, but only in this one instance. Everyone knows you make cheap quality items at a low price because you artificially keep your currency low, use of slave labor, and cut corners on quality at every turn.
Travis
Hamas Lied?
You mean to tell me that the leader of a terrorist organization would lie to a reporter? Say it isn't so!
The father of abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit said he has not been contacted by any of his son's kidnappers or their direct representatives, despite a recent statement from exiled Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal.
The father of abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit said he has not been contacted by any of his son's kidnappers or their direct representatives, despite a recent statement from exiled Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal.
Cpl. Gilad Shalit was kidnapped by Palestinian militants on June 25, 2006.
Iraqis demonstrate against Saudi Arabia in Washington
This is something that has been needed to be said for a long time. The Saudis are simply not doing enough to combat militant Islamic terrorists. They start them young in schools and teach them about how non believers aren't real people and thus, need to be killed. They teach them that it's an honor to go into a night club, school, or onto a bus and blow themselves up.
But now, the Iraqi's are seeing it for the first time and they are protestingabout it not to the United States, but to the Saudi's at their US Embassy
Just take a look at these photos courtesy of the AP and Yahoo News.:
It's good to see that they are protesting those that need to be protested against, not trying to blame everything that goes wrong on the United States.
Travis
Attorney General Gonzales resigns - CNN.com
Sweet Jesus, I never thought this day would come. I always assumed that Gonzales would ride out the Bush administration and be promptly fired by the next President. Alas, I was wrong. Gonzales announces his resignation effective September 17th and it is thought to be being replace by Homeland Security Secretary Michael "gut feeling" Chertoff.
Gonzales knowingly lied to Congress and questioned Haebus Corpus, a well known right of the American people.
Well Chertoff may not necessarily be the best guy for the job (without knowing the candidates), but it does look good on qualifications:
Chertoff, 53, previously sat on the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which handles appeals from New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania and the Virgin Islands.
Before becoming a judge, he was assistant attorney general in the Department of Justice's criminal division from 2001 to 2003.
Chertoff received his law degree from Harvard University and was a law clerk to Supreme Court Justice William H. Brennan Jr. in 1979 and 1980. He first stepped into a prosecutorial role as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York from 1983 to 1987.
From there, he moved to the District of New Jersey and was assistant U.S. attorney from 1987 to 1990 and U.S. attorney until 1994.
Between 1994 and 1996, Chertoff was counsel to the GOP Whitewater committee investigating the business dealings of President Clinton and first lady Hillary Clinton, who is now New York's junior senator and a candidate for president of the United States.
An independent counsel later determined that the Whitewater investigation did not uncover sufficient evidence to warrant any criminal charges against the Clintons.
As a senator, Mrs. Clinton cast the only vote against Chertoff when he was nominated for the appeals court in 2003.
How odd in that Hillary Clinton voted against a guy who was investigating her...very odd indeed....
Travis
Sunday, August 26, 2007
A Spanking Isn't Enough
When a child gets out of line severely enough, a spanking is in order. When a child steals marine radios and prank's the Coast Guard, thus costing hundreds of thousands of dollars in waste and leaving help to run off on wild goose chases, something a little more drastic is in order. Oh and that's not all.
Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com
Police say the teen made up locations for the calls, sending the helicopters to the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and elsewhere. When asked his name during his final call on Thursday, he gave the name of a cousin who is serving in Iraq.
When Coast Guard officers called the cousin's mother to make sure her son was okay, she went into a frenzy, fearing her son had been killed, Mahabir said.
Criminal charges are needed in this case and a severe punishment needs to be dealt out. Restitution is in order here as well. The Coast Guard was off looking for things that weren't there while they could have been doing REAL Coast Guard work. This kid also put his aunt through hell thinking that her son had been killed in Iraq. I don't know about you, but in family, that's more than a spanking.Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com
Barack Obama Gaining Momentum
What a lot of people don't seem to realize is that Barack Obama isn't necessarily running on his own two feet and people like him, that part is only partially true. He's also running with the "I'm not Hillary" campaign, which is a dangerous way to go. Sure, Hillary right now has a commanding lead, but there are people, who given the choice, would vote for anyone but her.
However, Obama has gained a new supporter in Zbigniew Brzezinski. Anytime a expert in your political party says you seem to "get it" when it comes to foreign policy and that your opponent doesn't, you should be trumpeting that almost endlessly. To tell you the truth, backed into a corner, I'd vote for Obama over Hillary simply because of her double speak and lack of long term thinking on various issues.
Brzezinski, 79, dismissed the notion that Clinton, 59, a New York senator and the wife of former President Bill Clinton, is more seasoned than Obama, 46. ``Being a former first lady doesn't prepare you to be president,'' Brzezinski said.
Ouch.
However, Obama did make one distinction that I found to be very interesting:
"It's one thing if China is producing our Barbie dolls, it's another thing if China is producing our silicon chips," Obama said. "We have to have some sense strategically of what are those things that are vital to our national interests and national security. Those need to be manufactured here."
However, in the same article, he lists Republicans he's willing to work with. However, he DOESN'T list them all, leaving me to wonder if he's going to try to play political games instead of trying to solve America's problems and concerns. If that's the case, he's not the man for the job. He simply says "I'm willing to work with this Republican, and that one, and that one", but he doesn't say "I'm willing to work with ALL Republicans". That should be a matter of concern.
Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com
However, Obama has gained a new supporter in Zbigniew Brzezinski. Anytime a expert in your political party says you seem to "get it" when it comes to foreign policy and that your opponent doesn't, you should be trumpeting that almost endlessly. To tell you the truth, backed into a corner, I'd vote for Obama over Hillary simply because of her double speak and lack of long term thinking on various issues.
Brzezinski, 79, dismissed the notion that Clinton, 59, a New York senator and the wife of former President Bill Clinton, is more seasoned than Obama, 46. ``Being a former first lady doesn't prepare you to be president,'' Brzezinski said.
Ouch.
However, Obama did make one distinction that I found to be very interesting:
"It's one thing if China is producing our Barbie dolls, it's another thing if China is producing our silicon chips," Obama said. "We have to have some sense strategically of what are those things that are vital to our national interests and national security. Those need to be manufactured here."
However, in the same article, he lists Republicans he's willing to work with. However, he DOESN'T list them all, leaving me to wonder if he's going to try to play political games instead of trying to solve America's problems and concerns. If that's the case, he's not the man for the job. He simply says "I'm willing to work with this Republican, and that one, and that one", but he doesn't say "I'm willing to work with ALL Republicans". That should be a matter of concern.
Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com
Offending Muslims
As you may have heard by now, the Washington Post has decided not to air a cartoon named Opus this week because it might "offend Muslims". Well, I don't much care for censorship, certainly when it might hurt people's precious feelings. So, I'm going to publish said cartoon here and watch the fireworks. Let's see if people get all upset about this like they didn't get upset by the recent Jesus advertisement. So, without further ado, the offending cartoon: