Wright's stuff bites Obama again...

Jim Geraghty reports on another sermon.

Now this shit is pissing me off. And not just because Wright's sermon is aiming right at those who serve this country (in my immediate family, that includes a brother-in-law and my father).

The fact is that there are huge differences between America's defenders and al-Qaeda. Don't get me wrong, our guys have bad moments at times. But for us, the bad moments are the aberration from a norm.

Anyone who is trying to equate the two is either stupid, holding a reckless disregard for the truth, or just flat-out unpatriotic.

And let me make a wild-ass guess: Barack Obama didn't hear that sermon, either.

Deserving an ass-kicking at the polls, part 342345

Seems a Republican congressman has decided that porn is the biggest crisis facing the military, and he wants to ban it.

Not aging SAR choppers, not tankers bought when Dwight D. Eisenhower was president, not the fact that we are in need of troops for a surge in Afghanistan, but the fact that Playboy and Penthouse are available at the local PX.

Talk about stuck on stupid...

When the troops have the gear they need, when we've won the Global War on Terror, when we don't have other problems, then we might be able to talk about whether Playboy should be available.

Until then, while our troops are fighting, let them have the latest Playboy and Penthouse issues.

Why Malkinbots don't get it...

Right Wing News shows how Malkinbots manage to blow it.

His beef is over a young woman brought into the United States as an infant who had had several liver transplants due to a liver disorder.

Let's repeat one phrase here: As an infant. In other words, her presence here in the US is not due to any criminal action or intent of her own.

And this is what we are seeing by allowing the problem to fester for a long time, rather than solving it when we had a chance to do so with much less difficulty.

Now, what do we do about people who were brought here at young ages, who have not committed crimes, other than to grow up here? Or whose families wanted nothing more than to save their lives?

Most people don't blame kids for this stuff. And the type of stuff in the comments of Right Wing News will be found repulsive by most Americans. There is a reason that non-generic Republicans tend to do a bit better. PArt of it is the tone-deaf attitude conservatives seem to be showing.

Tancredo/Dobbs vs. the Pope

The Wall Street Journal has a very good editorial on the recent rants from Tom Tancredo and Lou Dobbs against Pope Benedict XVI.

And people expect me to believe that there is no bigotry involved?

Do they think I'm stupid?

The impossible debate...

On Saturday, I mentioned the case of border security blowback, and pointed to a debate.

Well, the debate kind of went how I expected it to. Eventually, some of the usual people with an irrational obsession about Mexico came in, and AJ-Strata, myself, and SJ Reidhead found ourselves on the receiving end of abuse, ranging from implications that we must have been under the influence of marijuana to at least two insinuations of treason.

I'm sick of the people who act like schoolyard bullies on this issue - and quite frankly, that is an accurate characterization of the people largely on Malkin's side of the debate. The abusive venom aimed at people like Linda Chavez (just look at the comments about her columns at Townhall.com) and others cannot be described as anything else.

Until conservative leaders are willing to rein in the venom, debate will be impossible.

Border Blowback...

Read this from Strategypage, and weep:

April 2, 2008: As it gets more difficult to illegally cross the U.S. border, it costs more to pay a professional smuggler ("coyote") to assist. But those higher smuggling fees have attracted the drug smuggling gangs, who are now taking over the business. As subsidiaries of drug cartels, this new breed of "coyote" is heavily armed and vicious. The violence is often directed at the clients (the people paying to get smuggled into the U.S.) This is bringing the Mexican border war into the United States.

Weren't the fence, and the hard-line border-security measures that Michelle Malkin and Tom Tancredo wanted supposed to keep this sort of thing from happening? Instead, what do we have? We have folks who are an even bigger threat to Border Patrol agents getting involved.

I suppose, somehow, Michelle Malkin will find some way to blame it on President Bush, when it is the policies she demanded that seem to be causing this.

AJ-Strata has more on immigration, and refers us to a debate over at Right Voices.

An important case...

Yesterday, oral arguments in Kennedy v. Louisiana were held at the Supreme Court. A summary of the case is here.

I admit to some bias here. I have three nephews... and will become an uncle twice more later this year (I don't know if it's two more nephews, two nieces, or one apiece yet). So, yeah, to a degree, I have an emotional dog in this fight.

Folks, if there is any crime short of murder that warrants the death penalty, then raping a child under 12 fits the bill. The perp here pulled of a very vicious and horrific rape, and then tried to put the blame on someone else. Thankfully, the cops got to the truth of the matter. I think the Louisiana Supreme Court has laid out a strong opinion on this case that should be read.

Hopefully, the Louisiana Supreme Court will be upheld.

Obama promises witch-hunt...

Read it and weep.

I think we now see Barack Obama's version of restoring America's image.

The man is playing with fire.

Now THIS is good eatin'

To the left is a photo from Jonathan Martin's blog at Politico.com.

Looks delicious. I'll have one of each. ;)

Playing with fire...

If Marc Ambinder is correct, there is a very strange idea of healing going around certain camps.

This is frightening - because if so, then one way or another, we will have instability in America for a long time. The reason is best explained by Orson Scott Card in the afterword to his book Empire:

Rarely do people set out to start a civil war. Invariably, when such wars break out both sides consider themselves to be the aggrieved ones. Right now in America, even though the Left has control of all the institutions of cultural power and prestige -- universities, movies, literary publishing, mainstream journalism-- as well as the federal courts, they feel themselves oppressed and threatened by traditional religion and conservatism. And even though the Right controls both houses of Congress and the presidency, as well as having ample outlets for their views in nontraditional media and an ever-increasing dominance over American religious and economic life, they feel themselves oppressed and threatened by the cultural dominance of the Left.

And they are threatened, just as they are also threatening, because nobody is willing to accept the simple idea that someone can disagree with their group and still be a decent human being worthy of respect.

Can it lead to war?

Very simply, yes. The moment one group feels itself so aggrieved that it uses either its own weapons or the weapons of the state to "prevent" the other side from bringing about its supposed "evil" designs, then that other side will have no choice but to take up arms against them. Both sides will believe the other to be the instigator.

Could Ambinder be blowing smoke? I hope so. But both Hillary and Obama would have motives to pursue such investigations. Hillary has a vindictive streak that is bigger than the Rocky Mountains.

Obama would probably have to do so in order to placate his political base, especially if he has had to back down from a confrontation with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and General Petraeus over Iraq, a confrontation that would probably torpedo his administration. You thought the 1993 gays in the military controversy was rough?

Not the GOP's problem...

This commentary by JB Williams shows why I can't stand conservatives these days.

Why? Because he seems to ignore the fact that conservatives have done their fair share of bridge-burning in the past few years.

In recent years, some conservatives have taken a position that anyone who is not 100% with them to be enemies. This has been particularly true on immigration, where accusations of treason and the "anti-American" label are common. then there are cases where those who dare depart from the latest wisdom of talk radio and the conservative intelligentsia get called "party hacks" who "sold their souls" as well.

So what is to be done by those who receive such fire?

Me, I'm inclined to respond with some serious return fire. As far as I am concerned, it makes no sense to try to please people who view me as a traitor or party hack. You want to call me that, don't expect me to work with you.

Conservatives need to stop blaming others for their failure to close the sale with Republican primary voters - that is who elected the delegates that will make John McCain the GOP nominee.

Senator Jay Rockefeller, You're an Idiot

Well, Senator Rockefeller (Moron-WV), an Obama supporter, really put his foot in his mouth this time:

In the Charleston Gazette Sunday, Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-WV, who has endorsed Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., said that Sen. John McCain "has a temper" and, according to the story, "believes McCain has become insensitive to many human issues.

"McCain was a fighter pilot, who dropped laser-guided missiles from 35,000 feet. He was long gone when they hit. What happened when they [the missiles] get to the ground? He doesn't know. You have to care about the lives of people. McCain never gets into those issues."

OK, in order:

1. McCain was an attack pilot, not a fighter pilot. Big difference. Fighter pilots make movies. Attack pilots make history. Properly utilized, fighter pilots kill other fighter pilots. Properly utilized, attack pilots kill governments.

2. McCain was an attack pilot long before precision-guided munitions were in use; he had to fly close enough to well-defended targets to risk getting his ass shot down, which explains why his ass WAS shot down.

3. McCain endured five years as a POW without any idea of when--or IF--he would be released. He declined an early release offer as part of keeping faith with his fellow POWs. He probably cares more about people than you do, Senator Rockefeller. Frankly, your remarks make me wish that stupidity were physically painful; we'd have a whole lot less of it.

William J. Murray tries to pull the woll over people's eyes...

William J. Murray's response to the outcry over his anti-Mitt ad is yet another example of the volume of disingenuous comments made by the anti-Mitt social conservatives.

He's trying to claim that Mitt Romney being Mormon had nothing to do with that open letter.

Race42008 listed some comments made about Mormons by signatories to that letter:

Matt Barber, Policy Director, Concerned Women for America quoted here as helping a reformed homosexual who converted to Mormonism find “scripturally-sound” evangelical churches to attend.

Ted Baehr, Author of Culture Wise Family, on the September 11th film: “What [the character of] Brigham Young does in the movie is talk about…that you have to have blood atonement… This is going to be an issue [for Romney]. ”

Janet Folger, President Faith2Action, See here: “Romney, as a Mormon, doesn’t believe Jesus was God’s only Son (Lucifer, they claim, was his ‘brother’). Nor does he believe in the virgin birth. Instead, Mormons believe God the Father had physical sex with Mary. The word blasphemy comes to mind. A bit more than a mere ‘denominational difference,’ don’t you think?”

Gary Glenn, President AFA, Michigan, played the “religion card” in his GOTV efforts for Huckabee

James Hartline, Founder and Publisher, California Christian News: “San Diego Republican Party Hits New Low - Invites Cult Member As Christmas Party Guest Of Honor” - “Mormon politics is more about promoting the economic interests of the Mormon Church and its wealthy members rather than any pseudo Biblical beliefs.”

Linda Harvey, President Mission America: “He used his Republican and Mormon identity to push through radical policies on gay marriage, abortion and pro-homosexual school programs that Ted Kennedy always dreamed about.” - link

Gregg Jackson: Writes here in an article entitled: “Is this the end of Evangelicalism in America?”: “A cornerstone of the Mormon Church, Grudem writes, is the classic heresy of Saint Paul’s day – angel worship. In his book, Grudem insists that an orthodox Christian must practice the theology he reads. So why would he step forward to become part of the Mitt Romney propaganda blitz trying to mislead evangelicals into doing what would shock most evangelicals in American history: elect a Mormon for president? “

Peter LaBarbera: “The sponsor of a homosexual-inclusive “hate crimes” bill in Utah is hailing the support of two Mormon-owned media organs, signaling the neutrality of the powerful and socially conservative church on an issue that is seen by many family advocates as the first step in the wider ‘gay’ agenda.”

So, Mr. Murray, who do I believe, you or what I'm reading with my own eyes? Seeing as you have borne false witness about Romney, I'll stick with my own eyes.

To explain any loud screams around the Washington Post newsroom...

Going back to my earlier post on the possible change at Miller Park, I have mentioned that I would like to be a fly on the wall of George Will's office when he finds out about their consideration of artificial turf.

Here's why:
From his April 3, 2005 column (see page 2):

This season, for the first time since the Astrodome opened in 1965, every National League game will be played on real grass.

Mr. Will seems to have spoken too soon.

I have already sent the Brewers an e-mail expressing my support for the considered change.

I strongly support the installation of artificial turf in Miller Park, not only for the better appearance,but also because I believe it would be a superb fit for the skill sets of a number of the players on the Brewers (Rickie Weeks, Corey Hart, Tony Gwynn Jr. Bill Hall, Ryan Braun, and Mike Cameron), giving the team a bit more of an edge in Miller Park.

Call it getting the Brewers a bit more home-field advantage.

Artificial Turf at Miller Park?

The Brewers are apparently considering replacing the natural grass at Miller Park with artificial turf. This could be very good news.

With players like Rickie Weeks, Ryan Braun, Bill Hall, Corey Hart, Tony Gwynn Jr., and Mike Cameron, this would be a huge benefit for the Brewers. Why? Because the ball goes faster and bounces higher on artificial turf.

Adding artificial turf would give the Brewers a bit of a home-field advantage.

UPDATE: Not like they need it when they polish off a sweep, but I want to be the fly on the wall of George Will's office when he finds out.

Anti-Mormon motivations? UPDATED

Race42008 has some more info on some of the backers of the ad opposing Mitt Romney as McCain's running mate.

Read their track records. Then ask for yourself if the objection is really about social liberalism, or if it's because he is Mormon.

Because I know what this looks and sounds like to me. So, do I believe the protests of people like commenter FreedomFighter in a previous post on that ad, or do I believe my own eyes?

UPDATE: More discussion at Townhall.

UPDATE 2: Redstate commenters blow off concerns about the ad.

Weyrich proves untrustworthy...

Memo to Mitt Romney: The next time you run for President, do not trust Paul Weyrich.

The reason: The ad that Weyrich signed on to. (Article 6 Blog has some info here.)

What changed between the time Romney ran for office and even suspended his campaign, and the present day, when he is one of those mentioned as a possible Vice Presidential nominee? I can think of only two things: 1. Romney dropped out and ultimately endorsed McCain, citing the needs of the country and the GOP and 2. Mike Huckabee's complaints that conservative leaders didn't back him.

So now, Weyrich seems to be caving in to complaints from Mike Huckabee. In one sense, you cannot blame him for the second factor - his bread is buttered by these people.

That said, there things that must be said openly: Weyrich's flip-flop makes him untrustworthy. He's not someone who will have your back. He seems to be an individual whose personality is that of a Soviet-era zampolit.

It should also be noted some major Huckabee supporters were behind the ad. I guess they're saying Mormons need not apply for VP as well.

Dobson projects...

James Dobson seems to think that John McCain has somehow divided the GOP.

In that, he is being grossly dishonest. Dobson needs to cast his eyes a bit closer to home. Specifically, he needs to deal with the fact that in dividing the GOP, he and his followers, particularly those who have demanded hard-line "no compromise" positions have been just as divisive, if not more so, than people like McCain.

Dobson, for instance, endorsed a candidate who made very liberal use of the politics of religious identity. He also seemed to be utterly unwilling to throw his support behind Mitt Romney when his support could have been very helpful, instead waiting until after Romney was out to make an endorsement. At the same time, when Huckabee's playing to anti-Mormon bigotry went on, he failed to say one word in opposition - probably to avoid upsetting his wife (which probably explains why he wouldn't endorse Romney in the first place).

Now, explain to this Mormon why the fuck I should trust James Dobson, or back someone he is inclined to support.

Of course, I will get the usual claims from Dobson backers that he was acting on principle, that Romney was not "really" a conservative, or some other bullshit explanation. But the problem is that Romney was the best shot to see those principles enacted in 2008.

So, this November, I'm pulling for McCain to win. Dobson will now have to kiss McCain's ass if he wants anything, and Republicans will be able to re-define certain relationships. Yeah, it's spite on my part. But I think I have some good reasons to feel that.

2-0

Man, it's gotta suck to be a Chicago Cub. When you can hear "Let's go Brewers" get chanted on the broadcast AT WRIGLEY FIELD.

But it's sweet for a Brewers fan.

Pelosi muscled...

AJ Strata reports that Nancy Pelosi has caved on the super-delegates.

One of two things happened: Most likely, the DCCC told her they could not hold the House if the donors pulled their funds. Or, she has just decided to flip-flop.

Hillary Clinton is a very good political brawler. She clearly won this round.