Or, how to lose an election.
Victor Davis Hanson gives us his six reasons why he thinks John "war criminal" Kerry is going to lose this election. And some of the reasons he gives ought to have been obvious even to the Democratic left. But as we have seen this election season, the left has lost its collective mind and is consumed with rage and hate. It is thus unable to evaluate the situation in a calm and rational manner. If they had nominated someone like Gephart or Lieberman they might have had a chance to win. Instead they went even further down the "blame America first" road, first with Howard Dean and Wesley Clark, and now with the former war protester and medal thrower John Kerry. This is not a party which is sane any more. And they are going to pay for it at the polls in just about a week.
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
“Conflicts-of-Interest-R-Us”
Kofi Annan uses the Iraqi people’s money to investigate the Oil-for-Food fiasco.
Claudia Rosett reports that the investigation into the UN's "Oil for Palaces" scandal will now be paid for by the very same money which the UN stole from the Iraqi people. Kofi Annan decided this all by himself, without asking the Iraqi government if they wanted any of their stolen goods back. I guess he just elected himself to be king or something. Or perhaps his family members, who were also on the take, are still trying to get their hands on even more funds. In any case, there can be little doubt about the corruption which is now the standard operating procedure over at the UN and what we can expect from this investigation. I, for one, will be very surprised if anything of value comes out of it.
Claudia Rosett reports that the investigation into the UN's "Oil for Palaces" scandal will now be paid for by the very same money which the UN stole from the Iraqi people. Kofi Annan decided this all by himself, without asking the Iraqi government if they wanted any of their stolen goods back. I guess he just elected himself to be king or something. Or perhaps his family members, who were also on the take, are still trying to get their hands on even more funds. In any case, there can be little doubt about the corruption which is now the standard operating procedure over at the UN and what we can expect from this investigation. I, for one, will be very surprised if anything of value comes out of it.
“The Age of Liberty”
President Bush is making the world safe for democracy.
Paul Kengor writes in the National Review about something really simple; something really basic. So simple and basic that it is apparently beyond the comprehension of the moonbats on the left. It is that democratic states tend to live in peace with their fellow democracies. Wars are started, in general, by those nations which do not have democratic institutions and in which the great mass of the people have no voice. Look at the Middle East today and you find not one real democratic nation. And at the same time, one cannot help but notice that today's wars and conflicts are taking place in exactly those nations which have rejected the trend towards democratic capitalism.
Thus the war on terror is not just a fight against this or that terrorist group. The President has a much wider vision of how the world must change if it is to defeat the prospect of terrorism in the 21st century. And that solution is to bring liberty to those nations that do not have it and which have been so deeply involved in the terrorist agenda. It is just too bad that the left does not want to understand these facts. And if they do understand and still refuse to face them anyway, then it is an even blacker mark against them, for it means that the left would condemn much of the world to servitude in order to protect their own power.
Paul Kengor writes in the National Review about something really simple; something really basic. So simple and basic that it is apparently beyond the comprehension of the moonbats on the left. It is that democratic states tend to live in peace with their fellow democracies. Wars are started, in general, by those nations which do not have democratic institutions and in which the great mass of the people have no voice. Look at the Middle East today and you find not one real democratic nation. And at the same time, one cannot help but notice that today's wars and conflicts are taking place in exactly those nations which have rejected the trend towards democratic capitalism.
Thus the war on terror is not just a fight against this or that terrorist group. The President has a much wider vision of how the world must change if it is to defeat the prospect of terrorism in the 21st century. And that solution is to bring liberty to those nations that do not have it and which have been so deeply involved in the terrorist agenda. It is just too bad that the left does not want to understand these facts. And if they do understand and still refuse to face them anyway, then it is an even blacker mark against them, for it means that the left would condemn much of the world to servitude in order to protect their own power.
Shame, Shame, Shame
Many of you just don’t care about this war.
Jonah Goldberg pokes a few holes in the self-righteous bubble of leftist hypocrisy. The left has been all over the map when it comes to complaining about the conduct of our foreign policy, but too often their complaints contradict each other as well as the available evidence. What we are seeing is clearly a vain attempt to say and do anything which will get George Bush out of the white house with no regard for facts, evidence and logic, and Goldberg has great fun in pointing it out.
Jonah Goldberg pokes a few holes in the self-righteous bubble of leftist hypocrisy. The left has been all over the map when it comes to complaining about the conduct of our foreign policy, but too often their complaints contradict each other as well as the available evidence. What we are seeing is clearly a vain attempt to say and do anything which will get George Bush out of the white house with no regard for facts, evidence and logic, and Goldberg has great fun in pointing it out.
The Therapeutic Choice
A war for our lives, or a nuisance to our lifestyle?
In this essay by Victor Davis Hanson we observe the disconnected world view of the liberal elites who just can't bring themselves to understand that there is true, genuine evil in the world and that it is a threat to the lives we lead and the foundations which make them possible. Those of us in Fly-Over-Country get the message, but somehow it has not been delivered to the rich and pampered elites who live in New York, Washington and Hollywood. There is no one so blind as a leftist who "knows" he is correct.
In this essay by Victor Davis Hanson we observe the disconnected world view of the liberal elites who just can't bring themselves to understand that there is true, genuine evil in the world and that it is a threat to the lives we lead and the foundations which make them possible. Those of us in Fly-Over-Country get the message, but somehow it has not been delivered to the rich and pampered elites who live in New York, Washington and Hollywood. There is no one so blind as a leftist who "knows" he is correct.
Saturday, October 23, 2004
Unholy Alliance
Here we have two part interview with author David Horowitz who has written a new book, "Unholy Alliance, Radical Islam and the American Left." Horowitz was once part of the left himself and a publisher of the radical magazine "Ramparts" so he is more than a bit familiar with the strategies and tactics of the left. In this interview he talks about his book and what he thinks of the left's new love affair with radical Islam and the motivations behind it. As always, Horowitz is well worth reading because of his unique insight into the warped world of the radical left.
Part One
Part Two
Part One
Part Two
La République des Bananes
Kofi Annan tries to explain away France and Russia's Oil for Food wrongdoing.
Claudia Rosett has been doing stand up work on the Oil for Palaces scandal at the UN. Here she brings us another article which looks at the way in which the tendency of the UN to house banana republics which are rife with corruption lends itself to exactly this kind of problem. When the rule of law is absent, as it is in so many countries around the world, how can we expect them to abide by agreements which civilized countries require? The simple fact of the matter is that some countries, like some individuals, are more honest than others. And honesty is one of the most important criteria one uses when deciding how much responsibility another can be allowed to wield. The UN has proved that responsibility and honesty are things which it does not have.
Claudia Rosett has been doing stand up work on the Oil for Palaces scandal at the UN. Here she brings us another article which looks at the way in which the tendency of the UN to house banana republics which are rife with corruption lends itself to exactly this kind of problem. When the rule of law is absent, as it is in so many countries around the world, how can we expect them to abide by agreements which civilized countries require? The simple fact of the matter is that some countries, like some individuals, are more honest than others. And honesty is one of the most important criteria one uses when deciding how much responsibility another can be allowed to wield. The UN has proved that responsibility and honesty are things which it does not have.
Wild and Crazy Guy
John Kerry and his billionaire wife pay lower taxes than you do.
Isn't it interesting to know that the rich and powerful liberal establishment is unwavering in their desire to get us all to pay higher taxes, yet somehow they always forget to pay the same rates as the rest of us shlubs? Now, why does that always seem to happen?
Isn't it interesting to know that the rich and powerful liberal establishment is unwavering in their desire to get us all to pay higher taxes, yet somehow they always forget to pay the same rates as the rest of us shlubs? Now, why does that always seem to happen?
New Jobs; It's Bush's Fault
Sorry about the light posting this week folks, but I have been busy training for a new job in the graphics field for one of the biggest names out there. And no, I'm not saying which company, because as we have seen this election season, the Democrats have lost all control and might try anything to stop a successful Republican. But the fact remains that the economy is improving and creating new jobs at a steady pace. Could it be better? Probably. But it could also have been much worse; like if Gore had been President. If he had been, you would never have had those tax cuts which get business going and lead to economic growth.
That's right; it's Bush fault that the economy has produced even more employment this month and your most humble author has benefited from those dastardly tax cuts for the rich. And this company is training a bunch of new hires, not just this author, but lots of others and is even planning to hire more in the coming weeks and months if what I hear is true. So buck up you leftists out there. In time even you may be able to get a job in the new economic boom, assuming that you really want one instead of sitting on your rear end while dreaming up conspiracy theories about Bush-Hitler.
That's right; it's Bush fault that the economy has produced even more employment this month and your most humble author has benefited from those dastardly tax cuts for the rich. And this company is training a bunch of new hires, not just this author, but lots of others and is even planning to hire more in the coming weeks and months if what I hear is true. So buck up you leftists out there. In time even you may be able to get a job in the new economic boom, assuming that you really want one instead of sitting on your rear end while dreaming up conspiracy theories about Bush-Hitler.
The Myth of 'Squandered Sympathy'
European elites were anti-American long before the liberation of Iraq.
John Rosenthal pens this extensive essay in which he looks at the rampant anti-Americanism which, contrary to the view of leftist moonbats, existed prior to the attacks of 9-11. In France and Germany in particular the intelligentsia has been vocal and strident in their hate of all things American and their envy and resentment of American power, both military and economic. The argument from Old Europe was the one which the left would later pick up and repeat endlessly; that America got what was coming to it. Recommended reading.
John Rosenthal pens this extensive essay in which he looks at the rampant anti-Americanism which, contrary to the view of leftist moonbats, existed prior to the attacks of 9-11. In France and Germany in particular the intelligentsia has been vocal and strident in their hate of all things American and their envy and resentment of American power, both military and economic. The argument from Old Europe was the one which the left would later pick up and repeat endlessly; that America got what was coming to it. Recommended reading.
Change Is Inevitably Not Popular
Why many Americans hesitate to embrace the Bush revolution.
Daniel Henninger writes about a subject which should be the subtext of this election cycle, the continuing process of globalization. The process of globalization, which means the spread of free markets and competition around the world and the rising standard of living which follows from that, is a force which affects us all. And to deal with it effectively means adapting to this new economic reality and thus leaving behind much of the economic policy thinking of the past. The time of "The New Deal" is over and a new era has dawned. The ways of the past will not help us in the new global environment. To survive and thrive in this new economic world, America must have more flexibility, lower taxes, less regulation and a business-friendly environment at home. But these are the things we will not get from the Democrats who are still tied to the welfare-state past, trial lawyers and big unions. A vote for Bush is a vote for the future that the Democrats don't yet want to acknowledge as the new reality. But that reality is not going to go away just because John Kerry and the Democrats refuse to see it.
Daniel Henninger writes about a subject which should be the subtext of this election cycle, the continuing process of globalization. The process of globalization, which means the spread of free markets and competition around the world and the rising standard of living which follows from that, is a force which affects us all. And to deal with it effectively means adapting to this new economic reality and thus leaving behind much of the economic policy thinking of the past. The time of "The New Deal" is over and a new era has dawned. The ways of the past will not help us in the new global environment. To survive and thrive in this new economic world, America must have more flexibility, lower taxes, less regulation and a business-friendly environment at home. But these are the things we will not get from the Democrats who are still tied to the welfare-state past, trial lawyers and big unions. A vote for Bush is a vote for the future that the Democrats don't yet want to acknowledge as the new reality. But that reality is not going to go away just because John Kerry and the Democrats refuse to see it.
The Meaninglessness of Meaning
Jacques Derrida is dead, but his baneful ideas live on.
Roger Kimball reflects on the passing of one of the 20th centuries' greatest intellectual frauds, French "intellectual" Jacques Derrida. Mr. Derrida, like one of the characters in "Atlas Shrugged" taught that nothing is anything, and that words are without meaning. Francisco would have laughed and said that everything is something and that words always have meaning even if the writer doesn't know what they are. My advice would be to pass on Mr. Jacques Derrida and pick up a copy of "Atlas" or even "Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology" if you want to know why clear thinking about concepts and meaning is vital to effective and purposeful communication.
Roger Kimball reflects on the passing of one of the 20th centuries' greatest intellectual frauds, French "intellectual" Jacques Derrida. Mr. Derrida, like one of the characters in "Atlas Shrugged" taught that nothing is anything, and that words are without meaning. Francisco would have laughed and said that everything is something and that words always have meaning even if the writer doesn't know what they are. My advice would be to pass on Mr. Jacques Derrida and pick up a copy of "Atlas" or even "Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology" if you want to know why clear thinking about concepts and meaning is vital to effective and purposeful communication.
Getting Physical
Union thugs target Republicans.
John Fund reports on the continuing efforts of Democrats to engage in intimidation and vote fraud to steal the election. In this article in the Wall Street Journal, we see the tactics of union thugs and leftists criminals using various tactics to increase the votes of dead people who get multiple chances to vote for the Democrat of their choice. As is always the case, the people who are prone to remind us of their moral superiority whenever they get near a microphone are also the ones to urge us to "vote early and often."
John Fund reports on the continuing efforts of Democrats to engage in intimidation and vote fraud to steal the election. In this article in the Wall Street Journal, we see the tactics of union thugs and leftists criminals using various tactics to increase the votes of dead people who get multiple chances to vote for the Democrat of their choice. As is always the case, the people who are prone to remind us of their moral superiority whenever they get near a microphone are also the ones to urge us to "vote early and often."
America's New Jingoes
Kerry and the left embrace economic isolationism.
George Gilder writes about the difference between the economic vision of conservatives, who understand the mechanisms of the free market, and the advocates of top-down centralized command and control of the Democratic Left. The left is stuck in the 19th century past of economic theories which have been shown to be failures throughout the 20th century in every part of the world where they have been tried. But since the fall of Communism in the late 80's the capitalist supply side revolution has taken hold in much of the world. In the East and in the old Eastern Bloc, capitalism is now the system of choice and economies around the globe are growing by leaps and bounds. The US also has grown much since the Reagan years and now stands at the dawn of a new economic boom. But John Kerry and the Democratic Left want to bring back the policies of the 70's that brought us "stagflation" and the Carter Misery Index. With luck, Americans are smart enough to understand just how much of a disaster that would be.
George Gilder writes about the difference between the economic vision of conservatives, who understand the mechanisms of the free market, and the advocates of top-down centralized command and control of the Democratic Left. The left is stuck in the 19th century past of economic theories which have been shown to be failures throughout the 20th century in every part of the world where they have been tried. But since the fall of Communism in the late 80's the capitalist supply side revolution has taken hold in much of the world. In the East and in the old Eastern Bloc, capitalism is now the system of choice and economies around the globe are growing by leaps and bounds. The US also has grown much since the Reagan years and now stands at the dawn of a new economic boom. But John Kerry and the Democratic Left want to bring back the policies of the 70's that brought us "stagflation" and the Carter Misery Index. With luck, Americans are smart enough to understand just how much of a disaster that would be.
Sunday, October 10, 2004
Fahrenheit 411
Jay D. Homnick points out in this article that nature abhors a vacuum. And The Elite Media Monoculture has certainly become one, if you ask me. But leaving that aside, Mr. Homnick is correct to remind the media of the law of unintended consequences. Because in this case we had a huge untapped market of people who wanted to hear and see news and information without the liberal-left slant or filter. The new media is filling that market and the old elite media is losing audience in droves. The forces of the market cannot be ignored. They operate whether you believe in them or not. Long live the Pajamahadeen.
How the Mighty Have Fallen
Paul Weyrich ruminates on the shrinking relevance of The Elite Media Monoculture and the place of Dan Rather in history.
W., On
Friday was a good night for President Bush.
Rich Lowry also think the President did well. His analysis of the debate is at The National Review.
Rich Lowry also think the President did well. His analysis of the debate is at The National Review.
The Empire Strikes Back
A night of surprises.
Gary Andres argues that the President did well in the second debate, an assessment with which I agree. The President was much more in control and confident than the first debate. Kerry, on the other hand, looked weak and tired and did not come across as inspired. A good overall performance for the Republicans.
Gary Andres argues that the President did well in the second debate, an assessment with which I agree. The President was much more in control and confident than the first debate. Kerry, on the other hand, looked weak and tired and did not come across as inspired. A good overall performance for the Republicans.
Hullabaloo Over Halliburton
The Kerry campaign's Old Democrat tendencies.
Whenever the moonbat left wants to smear free enterprise these days they shout "Halliburton" over and over again. The cry is so common that it is now a college drinking game anytime there is a Presidential debate. And drinks were flowing freely during the Vice-Presidential contest between Dick Cheney and John "Breck Girl" Edwards. But to find out more about the true story, as opposed to the drooling anti-business fantasy of the Democrats, check out this article in The Wall Street Journal.
Whenever the moonbat left wants to smear free enterprise these days they shout "Halliburton" over and over again. The cry is so common that it is now a college drinking game anytime there is a Presidential debate. And drinks were flowing freely during the Vice-Presidential contest between Dick Cheney and John "Breck Girl" Edwards. But to find out more about the true story, as opposed to the drooling anti-business fantasy of the Democrats, check out this article in The Wall Street Journal.
Sizing Up Iraq
Things are coming to a head in the Middle East.
Victor Davis Hanson brings us another great essay. This time around he looks at the criteria which we should use to determine how we are doing in Iraq and how we should evaluate success. He provides four key points which we should look for in order to know whether we are winning. Good reading.
Victor Davis Hanson brings us another great essay. This time around he looks at the criteria which we should use to determine how we are doing in Iraq and how we should evaluate success. He provides four key points which we should look for in order to know whether we are winning. Good reading.
The Rage of a Once Great Party
I don't think we are going to see a Kerry victory for a variety of reasons. Nor do I think we are going to see a civil war between Democrats and Republicans as some have suggested, although as Nativeborn shows, some Democrats are finally letting out their violent impulses without restraint.
But the truth is that we are in a moment of transition. This is the election where it finally becomes obvious that the Democrats are a party on the decline. There is no other rational explanation for the kind of out of control hate, vitriol, resentment and rage which we are now seeing from the remnants of what was once a great party.
We never saw this kind of thing while the Democrats were secure in their power and position. As long as they ran things, and the Republicans kept their place in the background, every leftist Democrat was happy as a clam.
What has changed is that the Dems have begun to suspect that they are not going to get their power back for a very long time. The years of Clinton were a temporary respite in a downward spiral which continues to this day. And this election has made it clear that if they do not win back their power in the White House and the congress, they will most likely be out of power for a generation or more.
For older baby-boomers who have placed their faith in the leftist illusion of big government, that means that they will be long dead and buried before the Democrats get their hands on the wheels of power again. That is the real fear which sits like a stone in the stomach of every Democrat who sees power slipping away while a conservative Texan sits in the oval office and outwits them at every turn.
It is just too much for them to bear to face both their loss of power as well as the realization that their lifelong dream has failed and they will never see it come to pass. It is no wonder they are out of control.
I think that the decline of the Democrats has been well under way for some time, probably going back to the Carter years. But the Clinton years masked the change because there was no overwhelming reason to be concerned about the leadership of the country.
Sure, both Republicans and Democrats had problems with Clinton, for different reasons, but in retrospect those things seem very small and far away now. The 90's were, as Krauthammer said, "a holiday from history."
During the 90's we knew that the Soviets were no more and we didn't think that we could be threatened by any other major power, at least not without having a good, long warning beforehand. We knew about the Chinese making noises from time to time of course, but there was not a major country which could challenge us on the battlefield. No other country would even send jets up in the air to fight us because they knew that they would be shot out of the sky. And so we were complacent in our knowledge of our own power.
Now, after 9-11, the situation is completely different. We know that we can be attacked, and without an army having to march ashore either. Our mindset has changed because we now see what we did not see before. The Democrats have not adapted to this new reality because they cannot. It just does not fit with their world view. And so they fight and fight to roll back the clock to the days before 9-11 in the vain hope that all of the rest of us will somehow forget.
But of course, we won't. And that is why the Democrats are doomed. They are still living in the past and they refuse to adapt to the new situation. They are dinosaurs at the moment of change. And we all know what happened to them...
But the truth is that we are in a moment of transition. This is the election where it finally becomes obvious that the Democrats are a party on the decline. There is no other rational explanation for the kind of out of control hate, vitriol, resentment and rage which we are now seeing from the remnants of what was once a great party.
We never saw this kind of thing while the Democrats were secure in their power and position. As long as they ran things, and the Republicans kept their place in the background, every leftist Democrat was happy as a clam.
What has changed is that the Dems have begun to suspect that they are not going to get their power back for a very long time. The years of Clinton were a temporary respite in a downward spiral which continues to this day. And this election has made it clear that if they do not win back their power in the White House and the congress, they will most likely be out of power for a generation or more.
For older baby-boomers who have placed their faith in the leftist illusion of big government, that means that they will be long dead and buried before the Democrats get their hands on the wheels of power again. That is the real fear which sits like a stone in the stomach of every Democrat who sees power slipping away while a conservative Texan sits in the oval office and outwits them at every turn.
It is just too much for them to bear to face both their loss of power as well as the realization that their lifelong dream has failed and they will never see it come to pass. It is no wonder they are out of control.
I think that the decline of the Democrats has been well under way for some time, probably going back to the Carter years. But the Clinton years masked the change because there was no overwhelming reason to be concerned about the leadership of the country.
Sure, both Republicans and Democrats had problems with Clinton, for different reasons, but in retrospect those things seem very small and far away now. The 90's were, as Krauthammer said, "a holiday from history."
During the 90's we knew that the Soviets were no more and we didn't think that we could be threatened by any other major power, at least not without having a good, long warning beforehand. We knew about the Chinese making noises from time to time of course, but there was not a major country which could challenge us on the battlefield. No other country would even send jets up in the air to fight us because they knew that they would be shot out of the sky. And so we were complacent in our knowledge of our own power.
Now, after 9-11, the situation is completely different. We know that we can be attacked, and without an army having to march ashore either. Our mindset has changed because we now see what we did not see before. The Democrats have not adapted to this new reality because they cannot. It just does not fit with their world view. And so they fight and fight to roll back the clock to the days before 9-11 in the vain hope that all of the rest of us will somehow forget.
But of course, we won't. And that is why the Democrats are doomed. They are still living in the past and they refuse to adapt to the new situation. They are dinosaurs at the moment of change. And we all know what happened to them...
There's Nothing More Intolerant Than a Tolerant Liberal
Some Bush supporters say they fear for their property.
As Stanley Kurtz reports, all across the country, tolerant liberals are vandalizing cars, tearing signs out of the hands of defenseless children, punching people in the face and shooting guns into offices. Why are they doing these things? Because the objects of their hate are Bush supporters who have the nerve to say so. Tolerant liberals everywhere have become goons and thugs on the theory that they are morally superior to all the rest of us and thus they have the right to destroy anyone else's property and to beat up anyone that they want to in order to keep Bush-Hitler from being elected in November. Feel the love.
As Stanley Kurtz reports, all across the country, tolerant liberals are vandalizing cars, tearing signs out of the hands of defenseless children, punching people in the face and shooting guns into offices. Why are they doing these things? Because the objects of their hate are Bush supporters who have the nerve to say so. Tolerant liberals everywhere have become goons and thugs on the theory that they are morally superior to all the rest of us and thus they have the right to destroy anyone else's property and to beat up anyone that they want to in order to keep Bush-Hitler from being elected in November. Feel the love.
Bin Laden and Marx – Strange Bedfellows
David Stolinsky takes a look at the similarities between Islamofascism and Marxism. And you might be surprised to find out just how many there are.
America, Just Be Yourself
Standing for our principles is more important than being loved.
Claudia Rosett advises us Americans to just be true to our own nature and to trust our instincts. Good advice at any time, but even more important than ever in this most dangerous of times. So what if the Euro-Trash hate us? What are they going to do about it; moan us to death? The French can't even get their aircraft carrier to run without the propeller falling off and sinking to the bottom of the Atlantic. We have bigger fish to fry and loads of terrorists to kill. We'll get back to you when the job is done so you can get back to your complaining later. In the meantime, have a burger and some fries and we'll save you a seat at Euro-Disney.
Claudia Rosett advises us Americans to just be true to our own nature and to trust our instincts. Good advice at any time, but even more important than ever in this most dangerous of times. So what if the Euro-Trash hate us? What are they going to do about it; moan us to death? The French can't even get their aircraft carrier to run without the propeller falling off and sinking to the bottom of the Atlantic. We have bigger fish to fry and loads of terrorists to kill. We'll get back to you when the job is done so you can get back to your complaining later. In the meantime, have a burger and some fries and we'll save you a seat at Euro-Disney.
The Producer
Meet Mary Mapes, the crusading journalist behind CBS's current troubles.
John Fund takes an in-depth look at CBS "news" producer Mary Mapes. It turns out that she is not only a leftist zealot who went into journalism to "change the world," but that she is also an apparent hack, having screwed up more than once while never having been properly disciplined for her mistakes. But in the world of The Elite Media Monoculture getting the job done right is not anywhere near as important as having the correct political views, all of which are on the left. And Mary Mapes has them, in spades.
John Fund takes an in-depth look at CBS "news" producer Mary Mapes. It turns out that she is not only a leftist zealot who went into journalism to "change the world," but that she is also an apparent hack, having screwed up more than once while never having been properly disciplined for her mistakes. But in the world of The Elite Media Monoculture getting the job done right is not anywhere near as important as having the correct political views, all of which are on the left. And Mary Mapes has them, in spades.
Right War, Right Place, Right Time
Kerry is wrong: Iraq is central to defeating al Qaeda.
Debra Burlingame writes about the choice between John "war criminal" Kerry and President George W. Bush in this article from The Wall Street Journal. While Kerry and the Democrats scream and moan about 'wrong war, wrong place, wrong time,' the rest of us understand that we can't refuse this. The terrorists brought this fight to our shores and if we don't defend ourselves, we will be destroyed by them. It is a pity that Kerry and the left are once again on the wrong side of history. But then, they always are.
Debra Burlingame writes about the choice between John "war criminal" Kerry and President George W. Bush in this article from The Wall Street Journal. While Kerry and the Democrats scream and moan about 'wrong war, wrong place, wrong time,' the rest of us understand that we can't refuse this. The terrorists brought this fight to our shores and if we don't defend ourselves, we will be destroyed by them. It is a pity that Kerry and the left are once again on the wrong side of history. But then, they always are.
Deterrence, Parts 1 and 2
Bill Whittle at Eject, Eject, Eject writes about the problem of deterrence and how the different candidates and parties stack up regarding the future. That would be a future in which Islamofascists shout "Allah Akbar" while pulling the nuclear trigger in lower Manhattan. Do we really want to go there, or do we instead want to kill off the psychotic murdering savages before they get the chance? The Democrats want to shower the killers with carrots. Conservatives want to use bullets. I vote for the bullets myself, because I know of no dead terrorist who has caused further problems for civilization.
You Don't Need A Staged Debate To See the Future
Who do you trust to face down the next nuclear threat?
Daniel Henninger points out that a Kerry administration is philosophically pre-disposed to appeasement. And the issue is not Iraq, but nations such as Iran and North Korea, both of which are racing to build atomic weapons of their own. Will a Kerry administration do anything other than talk about it before it is too late to act? Will the Democrats, who are America's surrender party, take their heads out of the sand long enough to notice that we are a target as long as nutjobs have nukes? I think we all know the answer. And that is why they can't be trusted with the nation's security for the foreseeable future.
Daniel Henninger points out that a Kerry administration is philosophically pre-disposed to appeasement. And the issue is not Iraq, but nations such as Iran and North Korea, both of which are racing to build atomic weapons of their own. Will a Kerry administration do anything other than talk about it before it is too late to act? Will the Democrats, who are America's surrender party, take their heads out of the sand long enough to notice that we are a target as long as nutjobs have nukes? I think we all know the answer. And that is why they can't be trusted with the nation's security for the foreseeable future.
The September 10th Mentality
Bush needs to hammer home that Kerry is stuck in the past.
Joel C. Rosenberg writes that John "war criminal" Kerry and the Democrats want to go back to before September 11th as if it never happened. They want to live in the world we knew before that dreadful day; a world in which we were focused on our need for good latte; on the scandals of minor politicians and their aides and the foibles of overpaid and overpampered celebrities. This desire to believe that somehow September 11th does not really matter and that we can go back to the way we were before, is a crucial dividing line between Republicans and Democrats and is the most important issue in this election year, whether the Democrats want to admit it or not.
Joel C. Rosenberg writes that John "war criminal" Kerry and the Democrats want to go back to before September 11th as if it never happened. They want to live in the world we knew before that dreadful day; a world in which we were focused on our need for good latte; on the scandals of minor politicians and their aides and the foibles of overpaid and overpampered celebrities. This desire to believe that somehow September 11th does not really matter and that we can go back to the way we were before, is a crucial dividing line between Republicans and Democrats and is the most important issue in this election year, whether the Democrats want to admit it or not.
The American people viscerally understand that the world changed radically on September 11. They understand that we can no longer wait for perfect intelligence but must rather connect the dots as best we can. They understand that our president has to use his best judgment to determine whether we can wait for sanctions, international pressure, or any other means short of war to pan out or strike first without hesitation, albeit with heavy hearts.
What's so dangerous is that Kerry is stuck in the past. He opposed the Vietnam War and is obsessed with reliving that fight. He never understood the global Communist threat. He voted against most of the major weapons systems that Reagan and Bush 41 pushed for to win the Cold War and keep us safe. He voted to cut intelligence funding in the 80s and 90s. He voted against going to war against Iraq in 1991. He never fully understood the threat Saddam Hussein posed to the U.S., the Middle East, Israel, and the free world. We know enough about his past to know that he is highly unlikely to understand the threats we will face in the future.
Keeping the Faith
What would Evelyn do?
Stefan Beck takes a look at one of the seven deadly sins in the context of today's political season. The Democrats, he argues, are consumed by sloth. Not mere laziness or procrastination about paying the electric bill; sloth is a spiritual attitude about the importance of action in the face of difficulty. The Democrats have lost this sense of urgency. To them the death of millions of Iraqi people is nothing if it does not help them to unseat George W. Bush. And indeed, this is the only vision which motivates them. The real truth is that they hate the people fighting for Iraqi and American freedom because they are fighting for something noble. It is the hatred of the good for being the good which is at the root of their sloth. They are the party of despair, surrender and malaise. They have nothing positive to offer, only a stew of despondency and dejection. They whisper in America's ear, "give up, give up, give up."
Stefan Beck takes a look at one of the seven deadly sins in the context of today's political season. The Democrats, he argues, are consumed by sloth. Not mere laziness or procrastination about paying the electric bill; sloth is a spiritual attitude about the importance of action in the face of difficulty. The Democrats have lost this sense of urgency. To them the death of millions of Iraqi people is nothing if it does not help them to unseat George W. Bush. And indeed, this is the only vision which motivates them. The real truth is that they hate the people fighting for Iraqi and American freedom because they are fighting for something noble. It is the hatred of the good for being the good which is at the root of their sloth. They are the party of despair, surrender and malaise. They have nothing positive to offer, only a stew of despondency and dejection. They whisper in America's ear, "give up, give up, give up."
Moveon Dems
When it started going south for the Left.
Rich Lowry writes in The National Review of the self-inflicted wound of Democratic rage and fury against conservatives, Republicans and most of all George W. Bush. If the Democrats had any sense at all, they would realize how their wallowing in hate and resentment is killing any chance they might have had at the White House. But they are so addicted to their negative emotions that they are unwilling to look at them objectively or to give them up in order to be cured of their madness and come back to reality. And so we can expect the Dems to continue on their path of self-destruction for the foreseeable future, whether they win in November or not. And victory is looking more and more unlikely for them as Bush pulls out a lead point by point. Perhaps we need some sort of 12 step program for them.
Rich Lowry writes in The National Review of the self-inflicted wound of Democratic rage and fury against conservatives, Republicans and most of all George W. Bush. If the Democrats had any sense at all, they would realize how their wallowing in hate and resentment is killing any chance they might have had at the White House. But they are so addicted to their negative emotions that they are unwilling to look at them objectively or to give them up in order to be cured of their madness and come back to reality. And so we can expect the Dems to continue on their path of self-destruction for the foreseeable future, whether they win in November or not. And victory is looking more and more unlikely for them as Bush pulls out a lead point by point. Perhaps we need some sort of 12 step program for them.
Saturday, October 02, 2004
Standing Firm
Remote skeptics do not understand the Iraqi desire for freedom.
And here, courtesy of The National Review, is the full text of the speech before congress given by Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi. This is also the speech which John "war criminal" Kerry didn't think worth attending and which he found it necessary to insult as soon as he could find a mike into which he could spout. But don't let carrot top Kerry influence you on this subject. If you have not already done so, read the speech and decide for yourself its meaning and value.
And here, courtesy of The National Review, is the full text of the speech before congress given by Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi. This is also the speech which John "war criminal" Kerry didn't think worth attending and which he found it necessary to insult as soon as he could find a mike into which he could spout. But don't let carrot top Kerry influence you on this subject. If you have not already done so, read the speech and decide for yourself its meaning and value.
The Kerry Syndrome
The Democrat is captured by George W. Bush — and Richard Nixon.
Jonah Goldberg writes that John "war criminal" Kerry is acting and sounding more and more like Nixon. Not the dignified Nixon of later years, but the sweaty paranoid Nixon of the Watergate era. It seems that every few days we hear of a new conspiracy which was cooked up in Texas to ruin the solar system, burn down black churches, bring back the draft and steal your kid's tuition money. The problem is that we are hearing these theories not from the sterno bum on the corner, as we might expect, but from Senator Kerry as part of his official campaign policy of the moment. Next week he will be claiming that Bush has a secret plan to build a theme park on a Central American island and stock it with cloned dinosaurs. If only the lawyers will let him.
Jonah Goldberg writes that John "war criminal" Kerry is acting and sounding more and more like Nixon. Not the dignified Nixon of later years, but the sweaty paranoid Nixon of the Watergate era. It seems that every few days we hear of a new conspiracy which was cooked up in Texas to ruin the solar system, burn down black churches, bring back the draft and steal your kid's tuition money. The problem is that we are hearing these theories not from the sterno bum on the corner, as we might expect, but from Senator Kerry as part of his official campaign policy of the moment. Next week he will be claiming that Bush has a secret plan to build a theme park on a Central American island and stock it with cloned dinosaurs. If only the lawyers will let him.
The Joy of Hopelessness
Nothing feels so good as getting down and feeling bad.
Denis Boyles reports that John "war criminal" Kerry's UN is performing just as one would expect in exotic far away places. For example, in places like the Congo, UN "peacekeepers" in hot pants hide in their compounds unless they take a short trip to the refugee camps to round up 13 year-olds for sex. Thousands are dying in the conflicts there of course, but at least the French look fashionable while they screw the natives.
Denis Boyles reports that John "war criminal" Kerry's UN is performing just as one would expect in exotic far away places. For example, in places like the Congo, UN "peacekeepers" in hot pants hide in their compounds unless they take a short trip to the refugee camps to round up 13 year-olds for sex. Thousands are dying in the conflicts there of course, but at least the French look fashionable while they screw the natives.
No Bang for Dan
The Rather National Guard story, however you look at it, is unimpressive.
Jonah Goldberg points out what the frothing at the mouth left seems not to notice; namely that no one in fly-over-country really cares all that much about what President Bush did in the Air National Guard. President Bush isn't running on his record of thirty years ago, unlike the orange colored French looking candidate who by the way served in Vietnam. No, President Bush is running on his more recent record of the last three years in the White House. Whether Bush wins or not will be based on what Americans think of the events of the last three years and how the President has responded, or in some cases not responded, to those events. John "war criminal" Kerry, on the other hand, does not even seem to be operating in this century, but rather in some far off 60's fantasy vision which has all the relevance of a painted psychedelic schoolbus on its way to Woodstock.
Jonah Goldberg points out what the frothing at the mouth left seems not to notice; namely that no one in fly-over-country really cares all that much about what President Bush did in the Air National Guard. President Bush isn't running on his record of thirty years ago, unlike the orange colored French looking candidate who by the way served in Vietnam. No, President Bush is running on his more recent record of the last three years in the White House. Whether Bush wins or not will be based on what Americans think of the events of the last three years and how the President has responded, or in some cases not responded, to those events. John "war criminal" Kerry, on the other hand, does not even seem to be operating in this century, but rather in some far off 60's fantasy vision which has all the relevance of a painted psychedelic schoolbus on its way to Woodstock.
How to Fix the Mess at CBS
It’s happened before, and the way out is clear.
Byron York argues that CBS can fix the problems with the story which has been described as "fake but accurate" by the New York Times. That accolade by itself should be enough to cause serious headaches over at west 57th. But CBS seems determined to attach more fireworks to their news van and then crash things into it with the resulting explosion causing great excitement and celebrating; right up until the moment that "60 Minutes" is canceled.
Byron York argues that CBS can fix the problems with the story which has been described as "fake but accurate" by the New York Times. That accolade by itself should be enough to cause serious headaches over at west 57th. But CBS seems determined to attach more fireworks to their news van and then crash things into it with the resulting explosion causing great excitement and celebrating; right up until the moment that "60 Minutes" is canceled.
The Fall
A bankrupt generation is fading away.
Victor Davis Hanson brings us this essay in which he looks at the decline and fall of the 60's generation through the lens of the Dan Rather forgery. And is it not fitting that in this incident we see all that was wrong with the baby boomer generation? Hubris, arrogance, pompous disregard for truth and honesty, and a pandering condescension to the basic morality of the American public on display for all eyes to see. This is a generation which is far too full of itself. It is a generation which wrote, and then believed, all of its own press clippings. Convinced of its own higher moral purpose, it proceeded to throw all moral and ethical principles out the window until only the "expedience of the moment" remained. And now their moment has passed and they will pass into history as the most overrated generation in American history; the generation which promoted itself to the exclusion of any real and lasting accomplishments.
Victor Davis Hanson brings us this essay in which he looks at the decline and fall of the 60's generation through the lens of the Dan Rather forgery. And is it not fitting that in this incident we see all that was wrong with the baby boomer generation? Hubris, arrogance, pompous disregard for truth and honesty, and a pandering condescension to the basic morality of the American public on display for all eyes to see. This is a generation which is far too full of itself. It is a generation which wrote, and then believed, all of its own press clippings. Convinced of its own higher moral purpose, it proceeded to throw all moral and ethical principles out the window until only the "expedience of the moment" remained. And now their moment has passed and they will pass into history as the most overrated generation in American history; the generation which promoted itself to the exclusion of any real and lasting accomplishments.
Revenge Is a Dish Best Served Cold
Barbara Stock writes in this article about the long suffering of the Vietnam Veterans and how it was brought about by John "war criminal" Kerry's cynical use of them for the advancement of his political career. But those veterans have long memories. And now, thirty years later, they are making their voices heard. And what they are saying is that a traitor like Kerry should never set foot in the White House as long as they have a say in the matter. These soldiers have not forgotten the lies which Kerry told about them and they will do everything they can to prevent the "war criminal" from winning in November. And John Kerry has no one to blame for it but himself.
"Innocent Religion Is Now a Message of Hate"
Well, it seems that at least some people in the Arab world are starting to get it. Journalist Abdel Rahman al-Rashed pens this article in which he asks his fellow Muslims to shake off the madness which has gripped them and come to their senses before it is too late. It remains to be seen whether they will listen.
John Kerry, Patriot?
Is John Kerry really a patriot? And what do we mean when we use the word anyway? In this article from FrontPageMagazine, authors Henry Mark Holzer and Erika Holzer answer the questions by pointing out a few problems with Kerry's record which do not fit well with the notion of patriotism as it is usually understood.
Dan Rather And the Decline Of Media Power
CBS is missing the story of its own decline.
Here is an interesting essay from Daniel Henninger which looks at the connections between the emergence of the new media in America and similar events happening in Iraq. Needless to say, CBS is behind the curve in both places.
Here is an interesting essay from Daniel Henninger which looks at the connections between the emergence of the new media in America and similar events happening in Iraq. Needless to say, CBS is behind the curve in both places.
D Is for Descendancy
The Democrats are no longer the majority party. Is this the year they'll finally admit it?
This is an editorial that I didn't get to earlier for various reasons, but it's worth a look. Brendan Miniter writes about the prospects of long term decline for the Democrats that will await them after this election if they don't seriously examine their allegiance to the idea of top-down command and control collectivism. For the Democrats this is the fundamental problem. The Great Socialist Utopia has been proven to be a miserable failure. For the better part of the last century collectivism had its chance and has been found wanting. It just doesn't work and it matters not who is in charge. The theory is bankrupt and so is any party which still has a misplaced faith in that failed ideology. The ideas of liberty and freedom are once again in the ascendance and if the Democrats want to remain in existence as a political party they will have to discard their collectivist desires on the ash heap of history where they belong. The problem is, of course, that so few of them are willing as yet to do so.
This is an editorial that I didn't get to earlier for various reasons, but it's worth a look. Brendan Miniter writes about the prospects of long term decline for the Democrats that will await them after this election if they don't seriously examine their allegiance to the idea of top-down command and control collectivism. For the Democrats this is the fundamental problem. The Great Socialist Utopia has been proven to be a miserable failure. For the better part of the last century collectivism had its chance and has been found wanting. It just doesn't work and it matters not who is in charge. The theory is bankrupt and so is any party which still has a misplaced faith in that failed ideology. The ideas of liberty and freedom are once again in the ascendance and if the Democrats want to remain in existence as a political party they will have to discard their collectivist desires on the ash heap of history where they belong. The problem is, of course, that so few of them are willing as yet to do so.
Incompetent AND Unethical:
The Story of CBS News' Response to Criticism of the Killian Memo Forgeries
Here is a very long post by Ernest Miller on the Rathergate story so far. There is quite a lot of information in here and I am going to have to go over it myself as the story is now grown to a size which is beyond what anyone would have imagined just a week ago. I suspect that books will eventually be written about this. And it is well to remember that the story is not over yet.
Part One
Part Two
Here is a very long post by Ernest Miller on the Rathergate story so far. There is quite a lot of information in here and I am going to have to go over it myself as the story is now grown to a size which is beyond what anyone would have imagined just a week ago. I suspect that books will eventually be written about this. And it is well to remember that the story is not over yet.
Part One
Part Two
Long Live Buckhead
And here is the thread that started it all. Long live Buckhead and the Blogsphere.
CBS Producer on Thin Ice After Guard Story
Spotlight Hits Behind-The-Scenes CBS Producer for Her Role in National Guard Documents Flap
In this story which appears in USA Today, we find out a bit about the producer of the now infamous forgery story by CBS. Her name is Mary Mapes and by all accounts she is a strident liberal-leftist feminazi who hates George Bush and wants him out of office. And this should come as no surprise, when we consider that The Elite Media Monoculture long ago gave up any pretense at being impartial information providers. Now they are a bought and paid for propaganda arms of the Democratic party and the conduct of Mary Mapes proves it in a way too obvious to miss. She wanted to undermine and smear a sitting President in a time of war and she was willing to use forged documents to do it, while acting as the media arm of the Kerry campaign. The ethics are entirely absent in this situation. And no one on the conservative side of the debate is really all that surprised. What we are really surprised at is the fact that they didn't do a much better job on the forgery. I guess they haven't got a lot of old typewriters sitting around the DNC headquarters.
In this story which appears in USA Today, we find out a bit about the producer of the now infamous forgery story by CBS. Her name is Mary Mapes and by all accounts she is a strident liberal-leftist feminazi who hates George Bush and wants him out of office. And this should come as no surprise, when we consider that The Elite Media Monoculture long ago gave up any pretense at being impartial information providers. Now they are a bought and paid for propaganda arms of the Democratic party and the conduct of Mary Mapes proves it in a way too obvious to miss. She wanted to undermine and smear a sitting President in a time of war and she was willing to use forged documents to do it, while acting as the media arm of the Kerry campaign. The ethics are entirely absent in this situation. And no one on the conservative side of the debate is really all that surprised. What we are really surprised at is the fact that they didn't do a much better job on the forgery. I guess they haven't got a lot of old typewriters sitting around the DNC headquarters.
John Carlson, a former commentator at KIRO-TV who is host of a conservative radio talk show in Seattle, remembers Mapes as a talented producer with whom he often argued politics in the newsroom.
Mapes was "quite liberal" and disliked the current President Bush's father, he said.
"She definitely was someone who was motivated by what she cared about and definitely went into journalism to make a difference," Carlson said. "She's not the sort of person who went into journalism to report the news and offer an array of commentary."
Carlson spoke with Mapes about the National Guard story a week ago, and said that he believes she "put so much time into it that she wanted something to come of it."
"This was a woman with a good reputation," he said. "The mistakes she made were so obvious. This was a story that was rushed because they clearly believed it was true. They wanted it to be true."
Going into Detail
Joseph P. Newcomer's page on issues of fonts and laser printing. This is an in-depth look at the questions raised by the Dan Rather forgeries. Good reading.
CBS arranged for meeting with Lockhart
This thing just gets worse and worse. What are we to think of this story in which we find out that CBS coordinated with the Kerry campaign in order to push a fraudulent story on the American public and to get Bush out of office and their guy in? This is banana republic dictatorship type stuff. The kind of thing we have not seen since the bad old days of Pravda. We need a federal investigation now in order to uncover all of the sordid details and to find out if election laws, to say nothing of FCC regulations, have been broken.
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