1,215 Troops Re-Enlist On July 4th In Baghdad

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Happy Independence Day 2008!

"The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epocha in the history of America. I am apt to believe it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forevermore. You will think me transported with enthusiasm, but I am not. I am well aware of the toil and blood and treasure that it will cost us to maintain this Declaration and support and defend these states. Yet, through all the gloom, I can see the rays of ravishing light and glory. I can see that the end is more than worth all the means. And that posterity will triumph in that day’s transaction, even although we should rue it, which I trust in God we shall not…It may be the will of Heaven that America will suffer calamities still more wasting, and distress yet more dreadful. If this is to be the case, it will have this good effect at least. It will inspire us with many virtues which we have not, and correct many errors, follies and vices which threaten to disturb, dishonor and destroy us. The furnace of affliction produces refinement, in States as well as individuals...But I must submit all my hopes and fears to an overruling Providence, in which, unfashionable as the faith may be, I firmly believe." - John Adams Letter To His Wife Abigail Adams

"When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident:
That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that, to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. Such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government." - Declaration of Independence



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CNBC Analyst Mocks Rush Limbaugh's $400 Million Contract

Rush Limbaugh renewed his contract and will recieve $400 million for broadcasting until 2016. CNBC analyst Michael Wolff asks, "What are these people smoking?" He basically says that Barack Obama will bring conservatism to an end and that "Rush Limbaugh in a relatively short period of time is gonna to look like a kind of out-of-it oddity." I would wager that Wolff is off the mark. Conservatism is not dying. I would agree that the Republican candidate is somewhat centrist but that does not mean that the significant portion of the country that identifies with El Rushbo's brand of conservatism are going to whither away and disappear. Talk radio listeners are not going to stop tuning into Rush because of a Barack Obama presidency.



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Scientists: Watermelon Is Nature's Viagra

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Singer Replaces "Star Spangled Banner" With "Black National Anthem" At Official Denver City Function

An African-American jazz singer shockingly replaced the words to the national anthem with those of the "Black National Anthem" during Denver's annual State of the City address. Rene Marie was asked to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" before Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper delivered the annual address yesterday. Instead she sang some song that sounds nothing like the American national anthem.

I have to say that this is deeply distressing. As Barack Obama likes to say, there is not a Black America and White America, there is only the United States of America. To divide yourself based on race with an alternative national anthem is just plain wrong. This singer should have known better. There is nothing racist about the American national anthem that should prevent a black person from singing it with just as much patriotism as anyone else. If I were one of those people on the stage I would have gone right to the microphone and sang the real national anthem whether they asked me to or not. I do not know how many African-Americans feel the need to sing anything but the Star Spangled Banner, but I certainly believe this must be a small minority. I hope I am not wrong about that. This was a divisive move that despite her insistence otherwise I am sure she knew full well would provoke outrage. She should be ashamed of herself for singing whatever that was especially at an official city function.



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Iraq Progress Update: 15 of 18 Benchmarks "Satisfactory"

A new White House assessment to Congress declared that Iraq's had fulfilled 15 of 18 benchmarks in "satisfactory" fashion. Amazingly, this is almost twice of what it was in an assessment a year ago. This May 2008 report card, determines that only two of the benchmarks are unsatisfactory. Those two are the enactment and implementation of laws that disarm militias and distribute oil revenues. The progress includes important laws that Baghdad has passed. Critical legislation that helps ease tensions indluded the granting of amnesty to some prisoners as well as permitting former members of Saddam Hussein's Baath party to recover lost jobs or pensions. They also decided that provincial elections would be held before Oct. 1. Furthermore, law enforcement has "demonstrated its willingness and effectiveness to use these authorities to pursue extremists in all provinces, regardless of population or extremist demographics." I hope and pray that especially if Barack Obama wins the situation on the ground in Iraq itself is ready for the withdrawal that will follow. Because if that is not the case, the Middle East is in for a load of trouble and tragedy.


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Obama's Friends: Can You Dig It?

Brought to you by Paul Budline, a Princeton-based writer and producer of documentaries:



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Bush Urges Americans To Get Dem Congress To Approve Drilling

In a Rose Garden news conference President Bush said, "We can help alleviate shortages by drilling for oil and gas in our own country, something I've been advocating ever since I've been the president. I've been reminding our people that we can do so in environmentally friendly ways. And yet the Congress, the Democratically controlled Congress now has refused to budge. It makes no sense." It does make no sense. Why did Bush not press this issue when he had a Republican majority in the Congress? On the domestic front his focuses tended to be things like cutting taxes, No Child Left Behind, a failed attempt to partially privatize Social Security, and the prescription drug benefit. He may have been "advocating" it since he became president but I do not think it was a top priority. He is right, however, in strongly advocating that course of action now.


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Palestinian Terrorist Attack In Jerusalem

A Palestinian terrorist slammed a huge bulldozer into anything and everything including cars, buses and pedestrians on a very busy Jerusalem street Wednesday. The attack killed at least three and wounded 66. An off-duty soldier killed the maniac terrorist by shooting him in the head multiple times at point-blank range as onlookers screamed.



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Obama Opposes A California Marriage Amendment

Obama wrote to the to the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club saying, "I oppose the divisive and discriminatory efforts to amend the California Constitution, and similar efforts to amend the U.S. Constitution or those of other states." Randy Thomasson of the Campaign for Children and Families predicted Obama "will lose votes in California due to his pandering to San Francisco extremists." I would not go that far and I find that highly doubtful. But Obama's position does make no sense. He has claimed that he believes the issue of gay marriage should be left up to the states. Yet he opposes the idea of Californians amending their own constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman. I also fail to see how such an amendment can be described as "discriminatory." I do not think it is fair to say that it is discrimination to oppose completely redefining the definition of marriage.

Also, an interesting aside on this issue. The Obama campaign was handing out pro-gay rights flyers at the Pride Festival in St. Louis. Here are some pics of flyers (click the images to enlarge):




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"Well Known" Democratic Activist Arrested For Satanic Ritual Sex Crime

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New Israeli Law Bars Those Who Visited Enemy Countries From The Knesset

The Jerusalem Post reports that a common sense bill to prohibit anyone who visited an enemy state of Israel from becoming a Knesset member became Israeli law on Monday. "This law will return some of our trampled honor as a nation and will give us a good reason to stand upright. From now on, Israeli citizens can be calm - enemies will no longer sit in the legislature. As in every normal, enlightened, democratic state, anyone who disregards national security will know that he won't be able to be elected to the Knesset," said MK Estherina Tartman (Israel Beiteinu)who together with MK Zevulun Orlev (NU-NRP) submitted the bill. The bill is also known as the Bishara Law, because it was submitted after the publication of the case of former Balad MK Azmi Bishara, who made numerous trips to Lebanon and Syria and is currently wanted for questioning by the Israel Police under suspicion of treason for allegedly aiding Hizbullah during the Second Lebanon War. "From today onward, Arab MKs will have to decide - the Syrian parliament or the Israeli parliament. The law will put the brakes on the infiltration of Trojan horses into the Knesset," said Orlev. "We must demand of the Arab leadership unconditional loyalty to the state of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state just as every democratic state asks of its elected officials." The law states that "anyone who has illegally visited an enemy state in the seven years preceding the [submission of his name on the party list] will be seen as a supporter of armed struggle, unless they prove otherwise."


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Harry Reid: Oil And Coal "Makes Us Sick"

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was explaining why the Dems are so unwilling to help end America's dependence on foreign oil and lower gas prices by drilling here and drilling now. The reason he is against it is because it "makes us sick." Harry Reid may want all oil production to stop tomorrow and for the country to shut down, but he fails to realize not drilling for our own oil is sick. There is nothing healthy about a dependence on Saudi Arabia for oil.



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Short McCain Ad Mocks Obama's Presidential Seal

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John McCain Responds To Obama And Clark

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Obama Now Criticizes Moveon.org's "General Betray Us" Ad But He Refused To Vote To Condemn It At The Time

Obama mentioned in his speech on patriotism that the "old, threadbare arguments" and "caricutares of left and right" were most “evident during our recent debates about the war in Iraq, when those who opposed administration policy were tagged by some as unpatriotic, and a general providing his best counsel on how to move forward in Iraq was accused of betrayal.” The fact that Obama conveniently ignores is that he did not vote last year when the Senate approved a measure condemning the controversial Petraeus ad. How can he speak out now against that despicable ad when he did not vote to condemn it when a resolution to do so was brought to the Senate? The resolution stated that Petraeus "deserves the full support of the Senate" and the Senate "strongly condemn(s) personal attacks on the honor and integrity of General Petraeus and all members of the United States Armed Forces." A quarter of the Senate voted against the measure, including Hillary Clinton and Chris Dodd. Barack Obama made sure not to vote. Why was he not there to condemn attacks on General Petraeus when a vote came to the Senate?


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Gen. Wesley Clark: McCain Is "Untested And Untried"

General Wesley Clark was on "Face The Nation" defending Barack Obama and assailing John McCain. Most of what he says about Obama is a pack of cliches that has no substance to it at all. The usual stuff about Obama being a uniter, being charismatic, being an agent of hope and change in the face of the politics of old. He says that the most powerful tool a president has is "the power of persuasion." The power of persuastion is certainly important, especially in persuading Congress and the American people to implement policy. It is important in foreign policy as well, most specifically when dealing with rational actors on the world stage that can be persuaded to do something that is in America's interest. But to think that the "power of persuasion" is going to be of any use at all when dealing with madmen like the Iranian Mullahs and Ahmadenijad is both naive and dangerous. He goes on to say explain why McCain is apparently "untested and untried" but just about everything he says about lack of real leadership or experience could much more easily be applied to Barack Obama. Bob Schieffer even calls him on it, and Clark's lame response is that Obama is running on judgement, charisma, and communication skills. Clark then says, "Well, I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president." If there is one thing that need not be done when it comes to John McCain, it is denigrate his service and sacrifice on behalf of this country in Vietnam. It certainly shows something about McCain's patriotism and character and is not something that should be minimized. The general then goes on to say that Bush has used "military force" as the solution to "all the nation's security problems." Has he used it in his six-party talks with North Korea? Has he used it yet against Iran? Has he used it against Syria? Has he used it against Hugo Chavez? Can anyone seriously say that Bush has relied ont the military to solve "all the nation's security problems" without seeming like a typical pundit rather than a respected general? Clark then shoots of the typical anti-administration talking points about Iraq. Unfortunately, General Clark has become a typical Democratic operative rather than an unbiased military expert. That is of course his right, but it is also my right to point out when what he says defies logic.

CNN reports that "McCain's campaign has been calling on Obama to condemn comments from retired Gen. Wesley Clark, who said this weekend that McCain's service in Vietnam did not necessarily mean that he was qualified to serve as commander-in-chief." I think that Obama, who gave a speech today about not questioning patriotism, should distance himeslf from his military advisor's comments that "riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down" is not "a qualification to be president." Though on the face of it, he is right that it is not a sole "qualification" for being president, it is an important part of McCain's personal history that reflects his character and love of country. It should not be belittled as part of the campaign.


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John Bolton: "The Tragic End Of Bush's North Korea Policy"

John Bolton is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and is the author of "Surrender Is Not an Option: Defending America at the United Nations." He is also the former Bush appointed U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Here is a link to his article discussing the recent agreement with North Korea: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121478274355214441.html?mod=rss_opinion_main


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The Second Amendment SCOTUS Ruling

The Supreme Court handed down a landmark ruling on Friday concerning the second amendment. The Court ruled that Americans have a constitutional right to keep guns in their homes for self-defense. The vote was five-to-four in the case of District of Colombia V Heller which struck down Washington, D.C.'s ban on handguns saying that it violated the right to keep and bear arms. The ruling obviously does not extend to certain prohibited groups such as felons or the mentally incompetent. Justice Antonin Scalia wrote the majority opinion. Perhaps what is more amazing is the nonsensical dissent from Justice John Paul Stevens. In his dissent he writes that "the Court would have us believe that over 200 years ago, the Framers made a choice to limit the tools available to elected officials wishing to regulate civilian uses of weapons, and to authorize this Court to use the common-law process of case-by-case judicial lawmaking to define the contours of acceptable gun control policy." What is amazing is that a Supreme Court Justice thinks that the bill of rights was not meant to "limit the tools available to elected officals." This is exactly what the constitution and the bill of rights does. It limits the abilities of the government to violate certain rights of the people and defines the roles of each branch of government. For someone on the nation's highest court to pretend that it is inconcievable that the Framers would include an amendment restricting elected officials from banning arms is quite pathetic.

John McCain had this to say in response to the ruling: "Today’s decision is a landmark victory for Second Amendment freedom in the United States. For this first time in the history of our Republic, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed that the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms was and is an individual right as intended by our Founding Fathers. I applaud this decision as well as the overturning of the District of Columbia’s ban on handguns and limitations on the ability to use firearms for self-defense. Unlike Senator Obama, who refused to join me in signing a bipartisan amicus brief, I was pleased to express my support and call for the ruling issued today. Today’s ruling in District of Columbia v. Heller makes clear that other municipalities like Chicago that have banned handguns have infringed on the constitutional rights of Americans. Unlike the elitist view that believes Americans cling to guns out of bitterness, today’s ruling recognizes that gun ownership is a fundamental right — sacred, just as the right to free speech and assembly. This ruling does not mark the end of our struggle against those who seek to limit the rights of law-abiding citizens. We must always remain vigilant in defense of our freedoms. But today, the Supreme Court ended forever the specious argument that the Second Amendment did not confer an individual right to keep and bear arms."

The Supreme Court, after the Gitmo and Child Rapists rulings, has finally handed down a ruling that fits into what the constitution actually says and the Founding Fathers actually intended. Americans should have the right to defend themselves and their property with firearms. The Founding Fathers believed it was a basic right of the people and they enshrined it in our constitution. Amazingly the Chicago Tribune editorialists wrote a piece entitled "Repeal the 2nd Amendment" in response to the ruling.

I still feel that the Supreme Court has become a legislative body. Sometimes conservatives get what they want, sometimes liberals do. It should be a legal body, not a legislative one. It should uphold the law and constitution, not interpret it according to personal whims. It is sad that this is the state of the Court today. But perhaps now is not a time to complain about that with the Court finally saying something that makes some sense.

FLASHACK: I thought I should repost the RNC ad run awhile back concerning Barack Obama's position on gun control. Obama now claims that he supports the Supreme Court's ruling but in fact he has a history of being a radical anti-gun politician. But the past does not suit him well in a general election so of course he has decided to do a 180 and support this decision.



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