Still The Same

You always won, everytime you placed a bet
You’re still damn good, no one’s gotten to you yet
Everytime they were sure they had you caught
You were quicker than they thought
You’d just turn your back and walk
You always said, the cards would never do you wrong
The trick you said was never piay the game too long
A gambler’s share, the only risk that you would take
The only loss you could forsake
The only bluff you couldn’t fake

And you’re still the same
I caught up with you yesterday
Moving game to game
No one standing in your way
Turning on the charm
Long enough to get you by
You’re still the same
You still aim high

Bob Seger described John Kerry perfectly over two decades ago. For you see, John Kerry the waffler extraordinaire, the flip-flopper in chief, has played the game of politics like an amoral gambler. He has made a career of changing positions to ensure that he appeals to all sides of every issue. There is one issue that has always caused Kerry to reveal his true colors, though. The only bluff John Kerry has never been able to fake is in the area of national defense. He can pretend to be a hawk all he wants, but the record is clear. John Kerry believes that appeasement of our enemies is the only way to go.

As chief Vietnam War protester, John Kerry made the statement, “We can’t fight communism all over the world.” As Lt. Governor of Massachusetts, Kerry urged Michael Dukakis to use civil defense funds to influence American foreign policy to take a less confrontational approach to the Soviet Union. As a new Senator, he favored a nuclear freeze rather than Reagan’s defense build up. He supported the Sandinistas even though it was clear they were Soviet puppets. After the first World Trade Center bombing he proposed gutting the intelligence budget.

That is all in the past. But in the past two weeks, John Kerry proved that he’s “Still The Same” when it comes to defense issues. First, in the second Presidential debate, John Kerry proposed a plan to give Iran nuclear material, in exchange for their PROMISE to use it peacefully. Nope, I’m not making this up. John Kerry wants to give one of the biggest sponsors of terrorism in the world, one of the nations that despises the United States, nuclear material. If that sounds familiar, it should. It’s essentially the same plan that Jimmy Carter came up with for North Korea during the Clinton Administration. The plan that North Korea is now violating. If that doesn’t disqualify John Kerry for President, then how about this.

In the first debate, John Kerry implied that it was hypocritical for the United States to be critical of North Korea’s nuclear ambitions when we are testing a bunker buster nuclear weapon. The King of the nuclear freeze lives. John Kerry equates us with Iran and North Korea. John Kerry attacks a program that is developing a weapon to be used against state sponsors of terror, with the implication that if we would stop developing weapons, then other nations would stop feeling threatened and we have fewer enemies. John Kerry the antiwar protester is still the same.

I’m not finished, though. In the New York Times Magazine, John Kerry made the following statement: “We have to get back to the place we were, where terrorists are not the focus of our lives but they're a nuisance. As a former law enforcement person I know we're never going to end prostitution; we're never going to end illegal gambling, but we're going to reduce it, organized crime, to a level where it isn't on the rise, it isn't threatening people's lives every day, and fundamentally it's something that you continue to fight, but it's not threatening the fabric of your life.”

Apparently, John Kerry thinks that before 9/11, terrorism was merely a nuisance. The first World Trade Center bombing was a nuisance. Somalia was a nuisance. Khobar Towers was a nuisance. The USS Cole was a nuisance. Those events were apparently the equivalent of “prostitution” and “illegal gambling”. The Massachusetts liberal who came to fame as an appeaser in 1971 is “Still The Same”.

The amoral gambler has one core belief that he cannot hide. When it comes to national defense, John Kerry is “Still The Same” as he has always been. Dangerous and clueless.

 

Beware of the Sheeple

Something happened, last week, to depress me about this election.  No, I’m not talking about W’s refusal to punch Kerry’s repeatedly unguarded chin.  I must say, the President’s lack of attack made me want to throw things at the television, but that was not nearly the worst news of the week.

 

The worst news was the news media trumpeting the hundreds of thousands of newly registered voters this election cycle.  It seems that several groups have been out and about using streamlined voter registration laws to get otherwise uninformed and misinformed people to register to vote.  “Isn’t that a good thing?”  “Shouldn’t we have more citizens participating in the process?”  Not really.

 

Voting is the most important DUTY that any citizen has.  The choices made affect all of us.  Therefore, the last things we need are more clueless people voting.  Think about it.  These groups are setting up tables at shopping malls and college campuses urging people who have no real interest in the political process to register to vote.  Many of these people would go through their entire lives without ever casting a vote if these interest groups didn’t shove the form in front of their faces.

 

These people tend to be the ones that don’t study issues, watch news programs or listen to entire political speeches in context.  They are the people who tend to be influenced by soundbytes, celebrities and who are prone to believe stupid statements like “ah feel your pain,” and “Bush lied people died.”  These people are really sheeple.

 

We have enough sheeple voting in this country.  The Democrats have survived as a national party, thanks to sheeple.  Democrat politicians, for over thirty years, have said that Republicans want to restore Jim Crow laws and burn down black churches.  The sheeple believe it.  Democrat politicians, for over thirty years, have said that Republicans are going to take away Granny’s Social Security check and make her eat cat food.  The sheeple believe it.  Democrat politicians, for over twenty years, have claimed that Republicans WANT poisoned water and air.  The sheeple believe it.

 

These sheeple are even taken to the polls by activists from the AFL-CIO and the NAACP.  They typically don’t show up in polls.  Therefore, it’s safe to add, at least, two percentage points to any percentage the Democrat candidate has.  In a close race, these newly registered sheeple are going to make the difference.

 

I truly fear that this is a constituency that can carry John Kerry over the top.  If the Democrats get enough sheeple to the polls, it’s going to be very difficult for the President to win.

 

 

So you want to speak Klingon?

Trying to discuss foreign policy with a Kerry supporter is like learning how to speak Klingon.  It's frustrating, time consuming and, in the end, serves no useful purpose.  I don't know why I keep trying.  I suppose it's my Missionary Baptist roots coming out, seeing a poor leftist in need of conversion.  I'd have better luck trying to convert a meth head atheist with one Buddhist parent and one Hindu parent to Christianity.

Leftists don't even see the same problems we see.  When I talk about a clash of civilizations you know I'm discussing the war against Islamofascism.  The only clash of civilizations that leftists see is the "widening gap between rich and poor throughout the world".  Islamofascism isn't a unified movement, they claim.  The Palestinian terrorists and Chechnyan terrorists are internal problems of Israel and Russia respectively, and we need to limit our activities to going after specific Al Qaeda operatives.  I'm serious.  That is what your typical leftist thinks about the "War on Terror".

Saddam Hussein's Iraq had only peripheral ties to terrorists, they insist.  The terror training base at Salman Pak had nothing to do with us they claim.  Saddam was content to build his palaces and let his people starve.  As at least ten Kerry supporters have told me, "He was contained."  His payments to Hamas and Hezbollah were not our problems.  His refusal to account for known stocks of chemical and biological weapons were no big deal.  We should have allowed "inspections to work," whatever that means.  Oh, and don't bother giving leftists and other Kerry supporters quotes from Kerry, Clinton et al from 1998 forward that were even more hawkish than anything Bush might have said.  "Bush lied to get us into war" will be the only response you get.

France and Germany only oppose us because they find Bush offensive, the leftists claim.  Never mind France's huge Muslim population.  Ignore the evidence of bribery in the Oil for Food program.  In fact, leftists and Kerry supporters claim that the Oil for Food scandal hasn't been proven yet.  Leftists deny that France and Germany have self interests that would cause them to oppose us no matter who might be President.  France and Germany should be given the benefit of a doubt, but the Bush administration is guilty until proven innocent.

Dissent is the most patriotic thing one can do, according to these people.  I dare you to point out to them that the insurgents in Iraq are emboldened by protests against US presence in Iraq.  Tell them that the insurgents are counting on doing something shocking enough to cause the protesters to turn public opinion against American involvement and cause a withdrawal.  Go ahead tell a leftist that.  They will simply say they love America and they are trying to save lives that are being taken because of OUR misguided leaders.

If you think you can change a leftist's mind on foreign policy, I have only one thing to say to you.  toH tlhIngan Hol DajatlhlaH 'e' DaneH'a'?[tlh]

Illegal? Excessive Force?

The American Left loves the United Nations.  The hopes, dreams and aspirations of leftists are tied up in the prestige and power of this organization.  Of course, it isn't hard to understand why.  The UN sees a world crisis and does either one of two things.  It either takes the wrong position right from the start or it takes the right position and then won't do a damn thing about it.

Of course, what should we expect?  Of  the over 180 member nations of the UN, most are Third World nations with little interest in freedom, representative government or self sufficiency.  The voting records of the General Assembly show most of these nations voting AGAINST the United States on a regular basis, all the while enjoying the fact that the United States is assessed 20% of the UN's budget.

Basically, if you look at the history of the United Nations General Assembly, the only nation attacked more regularly than the United States is Israel.  The UN opposes the US and Israel with virtually as much regularity as the American Left does.  Leftists are the natural allies of the United Nations.

This past week found Kofi Annan, UN Secretary General, in full anti-American voice.  He pronounced that the invasion of Iraq was "illegal".  Yes, you heard right, the same man who sees nothing wrong with the Saddam Hussein-UN-Oil For Food and Palaces and Al Qaeda conspiracy that was occurring for years; says that the removal of the dictator of Iraq, who violated 17 UN resolutions over a twelve year period was illegal.

The only thing that would be more laughable would be the announcement of a United Nations expeditionary force, led by France, to remove the United States and its coaltion partners from Iraq.  You might think I'm kidding, but I have no doubt that the UN would love to see Saddam Hussein restored to power, even more than Howard Dean and Al Gore would. 

Also, this week, in a speech before the General Assembly, Kofi For Food said that Israel had used "excessive force" in its response to Palestinian terror.  I must have missed the news report, but I don't remember hearing or reading that  Israel had nuked the West Bank out of existence.  Israel has fought Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, the Al Aqsa Martyr's Brigade and all the other Arab Islamist terror organizations with one hand tied behind its back for years.  It has made concession after concession.  It has tried its best to limit attacks to leaders of the terror groups.  Yet, still, a corrupt,  pompous ass like Kofi Annan calls their use of force "excessive".

In truth, the majority of the United Nations General Assembly would love to see Israel cease to exist.  By the same token, those same members would love to see the United States knocked down a peg or two, and that isn't even including the French, Germans and Chinese.

Yet, John Kerry says that if he were President, he would "reach out" to this bunch of thugs, dictators, Islamofascists, America haters and anti-Semites.  I guess we can be sure that John Kerry would avoid "illegal" actions to protect America's interests and would help to condemn Israel's "excessive" desire to survive in a sea of sharks.

Democrats gnash their teeth over "Cowboy" foreign policy.  I guess they prefer "Kofi" foreign policy.  We wouldn't want to be "illegal" or "excessive" you know. 

What if CBS were FoxNews?

Today I want to present you with a hypothetical scenario.  Let's suppose that a former member of Vietnam Veterans Against the War had contacted FoxNews Channel with documentary proof that John Kerry and the VVAW were working in coordination with the North Vietnamese government in 1971.  This proof consisted of correspondence, supposedly written to Kerry by the chief negotiator for North Vietnam and a copy of Kerry's written response.  FoxNews decides they want to use this documentation and produce a Special Report expose hosted by Brit Hume, proving that, not only was John Kerry against the Vietnam War, he was FOR the North Vietnamese.

After the network receives these documents, two things happen.  One, Roger Ailes immediately calls Karl Rove and says, "You may want to talk to this guy that used to run with Kerry.  He has stuff that will destroy him."  Secondly, these documents are examined by experts who tell FoxNews they are most likely inept forgeries.

Let's also suppose that Brit Hume insists on running with the story anyway.  The expose airs, and within hours experts are on rival networks calling the documents forgeries.  Hume, though, stands by his story, and finally after every expert in the nation weighs in that the documents are phony, he simply states that the allegations remain true even if the documents are not true.

The resulting outcry would end FoxNews and probably end George W. Bush's campaign, depending on how much coordination there was between Ailes and Rove on this story.  Yet, the scenario I described actually happened regarding President Bush's Guard service. The players were Dan Rather, CBS producer Mary Mapes, Joe Lockhart and Max Cleland of the Kerry campaign and Bill Burkett who hated George W. Bush before hating George W. Bush was cool.

The most we get from the mainstream media is cluck clucks about the damage to CBS' credibility.  No one even wants to look at connections to the John Kerry campaign.  The mainstream media wants to claim they don't have a bias.  So should we, the American people, simply accept that coordination between Kerry campaign officials and TV newsmagazine producers on a story designed to smear the President is merely the standard operating procedure of an unbiased media apparatus?  Yes, unless of course we're talking about FoxNews.

 

 

A Clash of Civilizations?

Do you believe that we are facing a clash of civilizations in our war with militant Islamofascists? I was recently accused of being “over the top” with that claim in a political discussion with an acquaintance. The simple fact is that most Americans don’t believe the threat from the militant followers of Allah is as great as it really is. Or maybe I am just exaggerating the threat.

I repeatedly have compared the necessity of fighting this war to the necessity of fighting the Cold War. In reality, this threat is greater. The Soviets were dangerous because of the nuclear missiles they had and the satellite nations they created in which they could put those missiles. The typical Soviet citizen, though, wasn’t that interested in dying for Communism. Invade the Soviet Union, and the citizenry would defend their homeland as most people, except American leftists, would. However, they were content to leave conquest to their ideological soul mates whom they encouraged to foment civil war in places like Korea, Vietnam and Nicaragua.

The militant Islamist is different, though. Not only will they die for their ideology, they will take as many people with them as possible. Of the world’s one billion Muslims, it is estimated that 100 million follow a militant brand of Islam. Further, it is safe to say that ten million of those are committed enough to die and kill for the greater glory of Allah. Remember, Islamofascism is an ideology fed by clerics, not apparatchiks and bureaucrats.

Of course, it’s easy to dismiss this and claim that the only reason the Islamists are mad is because we support Israel and because we have American troops in Saudi Arabia and Iraq. A dismissal like that is akin to saying that Naziism merely arose in Germany because the Treaty of Versailles was unfair. It completely ignores the underlying beliefs involved.

First, one must recognize the true nature of Islam. Islam doesn’t mean “peace” as moderates tried to claim after September 11. Islam actually means “submission”. They believe in complete and total submission to Allah. Earthly pleasures are to be ignored in order to commit one’s life to the will of Allah. The will of Allah demands a rigid societal structure where no dissent is tolerated and no choice regarding lifestyles deemed “decadent” is countenanced. As a result, McDonald’s, MTV and Coca-Cola are viewed as threats.

Secondly, Islamofascists don’t see national borders the way one would assume. Leftists like to claim that 15 of the 19 September 11 hijackers were Saudis. Quite frankly, that is irrelevant. They viewed themselves as Muslim. They had less loyalty to the house of Saud than they did to the clerics that taught them complete submission to Allah.

An Islamofascist views himself as a Muslim, first, last and always. Further, an Islamofascist doesn’t see that as merely a religious statement. It is an ideological one. The outspoken Malaysian Anwar Ibrahim stated, "We are not socialist, we are not capitalist, we are Islamic." Islam must control society.

Of course I’m sure people are saying that we should let them have their societies and stay out of their way. If it were only that easy. We got out of Iran. Still though, as Daniel Pipes noted, “Kalim Saddiqui, the main Iranian polemicist in the West, deems Western civilization ‘not a civilization but a sickness.’ And not just any sickness but ‘a plague and a pestilence’ Belhadj of Algeria's FIS ridicules Western civilization as ‘syphilization.’

Such a pestilence cannot be permitted to survive. Pipes states the struggle this way:

Hatred against the West inspires a struggle with it for cultural supremacy. Fundamentalists see the rivalry as cultural, not military. "It is a struggle of cultures," a Muslim Brethren leader explains, "not one between strong countries and weak countries. We are sure that the Islamic culture will triumph." But how is this victory to be achieved? By producing better music or coming up with a cure for cancer? Hardly, as Saddiqui, the Iranian spokesman in London, vividly makes clear: "American GIs clutching photos of their girl friends would be no match for the soldiers of Islam clutching copies of the Qur'an and seeking shahadah [martyrdom]." Islam will triumph, in other words, through will and steel.

Pipes also recognizes that the ultimate goal of the Islamofascists is the supplanting of the United States as the dominant influence in the world. They do not WANT to be left alone in the Middle East. They want to dominate the entire world. Pipes says:

'Umar 'Abd ar-Rahman, the Egyptian sheikh who guides (the 1993 World Trade Center bombers), stands accused in a Manhattan court of seditious conspiracy, that is, trying to overthrow the government of the United States. However bizarre this sounds, it makes sense from 'Abd ar-Rahman's perspective. As he sees it, the mujahidin in Afghanistan brought down the Soviet Union; so, one downand one to go. Not understanding the robustness of a mature democracy, 'Abd ar-Rahman apparently thought a campaign of terrorist incidents would so unsettle Americans that he and his group could take over. A Tehran newspaper hinted at how the scenario would unfold when it portrayed the February 1993 explosion at the World Trade Center as proof that the U.S. economy "is exceptionally vulnerable." More than that, the bombing "will have an adverse effect on Clinton's plans to rein in the economy." Some fundamentalists, at least, really do think they can take on the United States.

The Islamofascists, Osama Bin Laden among them, really believe that the United States is a paper tiger. Osama said that after Clinton left Somalia. They believe that if they inflict enough damage on us, then we won’t fight. They believe that if they can make life bad enough we will implode and the unified Muslims will take over.

This is a clash of civilizations. The Qu’ran teaches jihad in three stages. The first stage involves purifying oneself. The second stage involves defensive warfare. However, the third stage COMMANDS aggressive warfare against ALL who refuse to become Muslim or pay the taxes imposed by Muslims. Cf. Sura 9:29 and Sahih Muslim 4294. We are now in the third stage. War has been declared upon the United States. The only reason opponents of this war think I’m over the top is because they still have their heads buried.

He's no moderate

I have been reluctant to get on the Arnold Schwarzeneggar bandwagon.  After all, he was a “moderate”.  I dislike moderates more than I dislike liberalism, simply because I believe that moderates have no real beliefs other than consensus.  I tend to be a true believer and can, at least, respect other true believers even if I disagree with them.  So needless to say, I was dreading the Governator’s speech to the Republican National Convention last night.  Wow!  I was sure in for a surprise.

 

Governor Schwarzeneggar strode out onto the stage last night with an air of confidence and a presence not seen since Ronald Reagan.  He began with humor, then proclaimed “…there is no place, no country, more compassionate more generous more accepting and more welcoming than the United States of America.”  I thought, “at least he doesn’t think we should become more like Europe.”

 

Then he told about actually experiencing communist tyranny, oppression and the fear that accompanied it.  He said, “My family and so many others lived in fear of the Soviet boot. Today, the world no longer fears the Soviet Union and it is because of the United States of America!”  Take that leftists, we DID win the Cold War.

 

The speech and the speaker were definitely growing on me.  He followed that by talking about how his birthplace of Austria had become socialist.  Governor Schwarzeneggar said:

 

I finally arrived here in 1968. I had empty pockets, but I was full of dreams. The presidential campaign was in full swing. I remember watching the Nixon and Humphrey presidential race on TV. A friend who spoke German and English, translated for me. I heard Humphrey saying things that sounded like socialism, which is what I had just left. But then I heard Nixon speak. He was talking about free enterprise, getting government off your back, lowering taxes and strengthening the military. Listening to Nixon speak sounded more like a breath of fresh air.

 

Not only did Schwarzeneggar unashamedly invoke the name of Richard Nixon.  He called Hubert Humphrey a socialist.  By that time, I was actually applauding the television.  I have argued for years that the Democrat party has become the party of socialism and here was someone who had lived under socialism saying it to all of us.  No political correctness.  No comments about the honorable opposition.  No pretending that the Democrats believe in freedom.  He called them precisely what they are, socialists.

 

Could this be the same guy that the leftist mainstream media had said was uncomfortable being a Republican?  I wanted to hear more.

 

He then spoke to other immigrants.  He said, “One thing I learned about America is that if you work hard and play by the rules, this country is truly open to you. You can achieve anything.”  Anything!!!  Yes!!  He was saying what I have never stopped saying.  America IS the land of opportunity.  We don’t have perpetual classes of rich and poor.  We can start with nothing and make something of ourselves.  WE, each individual are responsible for our own way in the world, and here in America we have the best opportunity to make those dreams happen.

 

The next part of his speech, I’m going to cite in its entirety.  It is the essence of conservatism.  Yes, conservatism.  It is what Ronald Reagan communicated to us.  It is what George W. Bush believes.  It is what each of us that call ourselves conservatives treasure.  Leftists don’t understand it.  The Michael Moores of the world try to twist it.  But they can’t.  It is who we are, and we aren’t moderate.

My fellow immigrants, my fellow Americans, how do you know if you are a Republican? I'll tell you how.

If you believe that government should be accountable to the people, not the people to the government...then you are a Republican! If you believe a person should be treated as an individual, not as a member of an interest group... then you are a Republican! If you believe your family knows how to spend your money better than the government does... then you are a Republican! If you believe our educational system should be held accountable for the progress of our children ... then you are a Republican! If you believe this country, not the United Nations, is the best hope of democracy in the world ... then you are a Republican! And, ladies and gentlemen ...if you believe we must be fierce and relentless and terminate terrorism ... then you are a Republican!

With that paragraph Arnold Schwarzeneggar had me pumping my fist in the air.  With that paragraph, Governor Schwarzeneggar had gained a new fan.  Not just of his movies, but of his commitment to conservatism. 

 

He then talked about President Bush and his resolve to fight this War on Terror regardless of the polls.  He also said that the hate of the terrorist is no match for "America's decency".  He really said decency.  The man speaking last night had nothing in common with the Bush hating mob that protested Sunday which by and large believes that America is a negative force in the world.  This is a man who believes in the decency of America.

 

Schwarzeneggar closed by sealing the deal.  He said:

 

Ladies and gentlemen, America is back! Back from the attack on our homeland -- back from the attack on our economy, back from the attack on our way of life. We're back because of the perseverance, character and leadership of the 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush.

 

I know the Democrats and the liberal media still try to portray Arnold Schwarzeneggar as a moderate because of his views on certain social issues.  However, last night, he told America who he is.  Last night, he told America who the Republican Party is.  Neither is moderate.  We are conservative.  We are proud of it.  We know what is right and good about America.  The American spirit cannot be defeated.  Hasta la vista, Democrats.