Cheney For [Fill In Office of Choice Here]?

I am sitting here before my monitor and keyboard in stunned disbelief. I cannot seem to grasp the fact that I've just read a profile of a conservative on the NYT website, and it was actually fair. Amazing! The profile was of a Mrs. Liz Cheney, daughter of one Richard Bruce Cheney.

So, what did the fishwrap of record have to say about Liz Cheney?

Liz Cheney looks nothing like her father, but it is clear who he is. She was introduced as “our favorite vice president’s daughter” at a recent gathering of conservative women here. She kept invoking him in her speech, conveying his best regards, and likes to share cute stories about Dad trying to master his new BlackBerry.

Like her father, Ms. Cheney speaks in understated, almost academic cadences, head veering down into her notes. She also shares his willingness to pummel President Obama in stark, disdainful tones, not so much criticizing as taunting him.

“Mr. President, in a ticking time-bomb scenario, with American lives at stake,” she said, “are you really unwilling to subject a terrorist to enhanced interrogation to get information that would prevent an attack?”

By speech’s end, the crowd was standing, and the former vice president’s daughter was being mobbed for photos and hounded to run for office.

Liz continues to represent a branch of Conservatism which is extremely hawkish on foreign policy. She believes adamantly that nothing is more important than the safety of the American people, as displayed by her passionate defense of Bush era policies on HVD's (high value detainees) and enhanced interrogation techniques.

There is little doubt that public support for Bush era policies was at its lowest point within the last nine months, but with new happenings from Iran, NorKo, Honduras and Venezuela it is quickly becoming a resurgent ideology.

I am interested to know what you folks think of Cheney policies on foreign policy. Is Liz Cheney a viable candidate for the Conservative party? Is the Cheney name too damaged to ever again hold high office? Is Liz someone you'd want representing you? Be sure to leave your comments below!

If you're interested in the NYT article, it's here.

Please take the time to comment!

It's About To Get Hairy

Democratically Elected Leader of Honduras

Imagine with me a scenario where a sitting President of the United States attempts in defiance of the Congress, the Supreme Court and Constitutional law to change the Constitution of the United States in order to allow him to be POTUS for life. After being warned by the Congress not to proceed and finding little support for his overtures, he decides to have political sympathizers print ballots which he intends to use during a special election, taking the issue directly to the people. Since the Congress, Supreme Court and the Constitution itself are in opposition to this action, the President orders the military to carry out the election procedures.

Having shown such willingness to toss aside Constitutional mandate, the Congress goes before the Supreme Court presenting evidence and witnesses following the path set out in the Constitution to remove the President from power. The Supreme Court supports the evidence presented by Congress and agrees that it is within the Constitutional authority of the Legislative and Judicial Branches to remove the President from Office. Once the vote is completed and the President has been stripped of power, the Congress orders the military to capture the, now former, President and remove him from the country altogether, as to prevent him from attempting a coup using forces within the country which are still sympathetic to his actions.

Now imagine with me that after a month of being just across the border in Canada, the former President is snuck back into the country and is given asylum within the Canadian embassy. What do you think the reaction of the United States would be if the Canadian government refused the United States demands for the former President to be removed from the embassy and taken outside the borders of the United States?

Former President, Wannabe Dictator, Assclown, Chavez Puppet of Honduras

Well folks, it's happening. Only the names of the players have been changed in the story above. In reality the President in question is the former President of Honduras, an ally of the United States. And the Embassy in question belongs to Brazil.

So here's how the Communist News Network describes what's going on:

Brazil on Sunday rejected an ultimatum from Honduras' de facto government to decide the status of ousted President Jose Manuel Zelaya, who has been holed up in the South American country's embassy in Honduras since last week.

As I'm sure you were, I was completely shocked by CNN's sympathies for the man who would attempt to over throw a constitutional republic and replace it with a dictatorship. De Facto is latin and literally means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law." Hmm, let's see... The Congress challenged the actions, brought the accusation before the Supreme Court who reviewed the charges against the statute, which happens to be Honduras' Constitution and supported the removal of this man from office. Sounds like it was ordained by law to me.

Here are the real life implications of this story:

1. A man who has already proven that he refuses to acknowledge the sovereignty of the law which he was elected to serve and protect (Zelaya) is being given shelter within the borders of the country that removed him from power and evicted him.
   
2. The former President is being given a platform by a sympathetic press to spout all sorts of nonsense about his treatment and "illegal actions" of the Honduran Government.
   
3. Rightly considering the Zelaya's presence a threat to national security, the Honduran government and democratically elected President (Micheletti) have demanded that Zelaya be immediately removed from the embassy and once again taken outside the borders of Honduras.
   
4. Brazil has refused to honor the demands of the Honduran government and continues to allow Zelaya refuge within their embassy.
   
5. In reaction to Brazil's decision, Honduras refuses to continue to recognize the Brazilian embassy as an embassy and has changed it's classification to a 'private office.'
   

This can only end badly. When the sovereign government of one country, in accordance with it's laws, removes a dictator from the office of President and extricates him from the country only to be defied by an 'allied' government which gives the dictator sanctuary within their embassy, things are about to get hairy. Imma go out on a branch here and speculate that the reason for changing the classification of Brazil's embassy to a 'private office' is to allow the Honduran military opportunity to invade the embassy without it being an act of war. However, it doesn't matter what the Honduran government classifies Brazil's embassy as, it matters only how Brazil perceives Honduras' actions. If Honduras is forced to storm the embassy to remove Zelaya, Brazil will no doubt see this as an act of war (as will most of the rest of the idiotic world) and will retaliate in kind.

Luckily, the Constitutional Law Professor in Chief of theses United States not only has a valid understanding of constitutional law, but is siding with the execution of constitutional law in an allied country.

Whew! For a minute there, I thought things were going to get ugly!

Please take the time to comment!

Only Blogs Worth Reading: Sunday Round-up

Andy seems to believe It's Broke You Moron!

While ChristinaJade encourages us all to Do Your Homework!"

Patrick seems to have a thing for Queen tunes

Skunks has discovered he's a wiz at dealing with Text Messaging

BRH takes a few of the G20 Leaders out to the Woodshed! This one takes a minute to load, but is totally worth it.

All the while, Paul appears to be Losing His Sh*t over College Footbaw. What else is new?

With this cast of characters, there is never a dull moment, I'm telling you!



Please take the time to comment!

Sometimes, You Just Need an LOL

Smitty has some fun at Jake Tapper's expense. Read and enjoy!

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Brilliance Personified

There really is no set up needed. Just watch!



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Bush Administration Stance Toward Iran Vindicated

I remember December of 2007. I remember that every libtard in the country was walking around with freshly wet pants caused by their excitement over the National Intelligence Estimate for Iranian Nuclear Weapons Capability which concluded with a high level of certainty that Iran had abandoned it's aspirations for a nuclear weapon in 2003. And also concluded even if Iran restarted the program, it would be nearly impossible for them to generate a weapon in less than 5-10 years.

I remember every dinosaur media outlet in the country bumping every other major story at the time to headline that Bush had lied about Iran's nuclear capabilities, and had used his strong rhetoric to galvanize the citizens of America into crazed jingoism so that they would support his calls for military action against Iran.

I remember that Bush lied and Ahmadinnerjacket cried. I remember that Bush was defensive about his stance on Iran.

Well, now we know the truth... That Bush guy was a moron! Wait, what? Whadduya mean, 'he was right?!' So Iran didn't abandon their weapons program? Are you sure? Damn, he was right. Sigh.

Turns out that that NIE report was as fake as the picture above. It seems that in this flurry of news coming out regarding Iran's real nuclear capabilities that the dinosaur media has forgotten their own incompetence in reporting the findings of the NIE uncritically. We know that the dinosaur media never highlighted that the NIE's authors included 3 "hyper-partisan anti-Bush officials". It also turns out that Western Intel has known about the program and the supposedly secret site for years.

Media mea culpa in 3...2...Wait, it's the media. Nevermind.

Please take the time to comment!

Government Denies Care To Cancer Stricken Veterans

Can you say, 'preview of things to come?'

"My wife would hug me, and it became almost unbearable," he said. "I went to a doctor, and they sent me to the oncologist, and they did biopsies on both sides. And then I ended up with a double mastectomy."


Kelly is one of 20 retired U.S. Marines or sons of Marines who once lived at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and who are now suffering from breast cancer, a disease that strikes about one man for every 100 women who get it.

Wait... 20 retired U.S. Marines or immediate family members who lived at Camp Lejeune now have breast cancer? That's a pretty freaky coincidence, no?

All 20 fear that water contaminated with high levels of toxic chemicals may have caused their illnesses, but the Marine Corps says no link has been found between the contamination and their diseases. Without that link, the men are denied treatment by the Department of Veterans Affairs, which says it can't treat them for a condition that hasn't been shown to have been "service-related."

Huh. So, the same government agency which would be forced to spend millions of dollars in care for these individuals cannot find a link between water contamination, contamination which the military does not dispute, and the cases of cancer. Why, I'm completely shocked by that!

Kelly said his VA representative told him, "It's not the VA's problem, it's the Marine Corps' problem."


And Peter Devereaux, who was stationed at Camp Lejeune in the early 1980s, was told in writing that his breast cancer "neither occurred in nor was caused by service."

One Government Agency pointing at another, neither of which claim responsibility. Shocking.

The men with breast cancer are among about 1,600 retired Marines and Camp Lejeune residents who have filed claims against the federal government. According to congressional investigators, they are seeking nearly $34 billion in compensation for health problems they say stemmed from drinking water at the base that was contaminated with several toxic chemicals, including some the federal government has classified as known or potential cancer-causing agents.

20 cases is coincidence, 1600 cases of disease caused by contaminated wells is indisputable.

In 1980, the Navy hired experts to test for trihalomethanes, a byproduct from chlorination, in the base tap water. The experts reported that some of the base tap water was "highly contaminated," according to a test report.


In 1981, the lab again found "water highly contaminated" -- and added the word "solvents," with an exclamation point. In August 1982, the experts found one sample with levels of trichloroethylene, a degreaser believed to cause cancer, of 1,400 parts per billion. Today's EPA safe level for the substance is five parts per billion.


"We've never seen 1,400 parts per billion of trichloroethylene, so that is very high," said Frank Bove, an epidemiologist with the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

I believe this is what's referred to as a 'smoking gun.'

But it would take until late 1984 and early 1985 for the Corps to begin widespread testing of wells on the base and shutting down ones that had been polluted. In addition to trichloroethylene, chemicals eventually identified in the drinking water included benzene, which the federal government identifies as a known cancer-causing agent; and the dry-cleaning solvent perchloroethylene, a suspected carcinogen.


The Marine Corps said two independent studies have found no link between water contamination and later illnesses. And in a statement to CNN, the Marine Corps wrote, "Once impacted wells were identified, they were promptly removed from service."

Let's see, the contamination was discovered in 1980 and reaffirmed in 1981 and the wells were shut down in late 1984? Hell, by Government standards that qualifies as "promptly removed from service."

A fact-finding panel created by the Corps in 2004 ruled that officials acted properly and that the water was "consistent with general industry practices" at the time. And investigations by the Bush administration's Justice Department and Environmental Protection Agency found no criminal conduct by Marine Corps officials and no violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Ah HA! Now we get to the nut of it! It was all Bush's fault. Bastard...

Two years ago, Congress ordered the Marine Corps to notify all Marines and their families who might have been exposed -- an estimated 500,000 people. The Marines say they have worked with environmental and health agencies "from the beginning" to determine whether the contamination resulted in any illness, and "this collaboration continues to the present day."


"I think if cancer of the breast in men or other kinds of cancer have been linked to this exposure, that we ought to know about that," said Richard Clapp, a nationally recognized epidemiologist who has studied clusters of cancer cases at toxic sites. "The families deserve that. The veterans themselves should know about that, and they should be compensated if the link can be made."


But for now, there is no proven link -- just Marines and their families who say they are suffering.

I'm ready to turn over my health care decisions to the government! Who's with me?!

Please take the time to comment!

Holy Crap It's Been A Long Time

I had to request Blogger resend my password to me, cause it's been like 4 years since I blogged. Good news, though, I'm back in the saddle. Hold on tight!

Please take the time to comment!

Thomas Frank Model Journalist

These guys are making it too easy. Behold:

There are few things in politics more annoying than the right's utter conviction that it owns the patent on the word "freedom"...

Any increase in the size or duties of government, the right tells us, necessarily subtracts from our freedom. Government is, by its very nature, a destroyer of liberties; the Obama administration, specifically, is promising to interfere with the economy and the health-care system so profoundly that Washington will soon have us all in chains.

I'll speak slowly and use words you're sure to understand. Any time something is mandated by government, i.e. it becomes law, it is then illegal to not do what the government has mandated. For example, health insurance. If the government mandates that people must have health insurance, healthy 20-somethings like myself who are trying to save money for more important things (i.e. starting a business) are penalized. Therefore, I no longer have the freedom not to spend my money on what is important to me, I must spend it on health care, or face a fine. Follow?

That our ancestors could ever have understood freedom as something greater than the absence of the state would probably strike protesters as inconceivable. But they did. You can see it in that famous Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving painting from 1943: "Freedom from Want," an illustration of one of Franklin Roosevelt's "Four Freedoms." Strange though it might sound, this is a form of freedom that pretty much requires government to get involved in the economy in order to "secure to every nation," as Roosevelt put it, "a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants." The idea is still enshrined today in the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

First off, the government wasn't nearly as involved in our ancestors life as it is today. I am referencing the same group of ancestors that the author is, the group who were around to hear Franklin Roosevelt's "Four Freedoms" when he broadcast it live over the TV... Second, the UN... Really?! What you're failing to see here, is that this is an argument about constitutionality. Please point to the section of the constitution where people are guaranteed the 'freedom from want.' I'll wait.

Conservatives of the 1930s, led by an upper-crust outfit called the American Liberty League, certainly felt that way. "That Roosevelt was a dictator there was no doubt; but Liberty Leaguers were not quite sure what kind," wrote the historian George Wolfskill in "The Revolt of the Conservatives," a 1962 study of that organization. "Some thought he was a fascist, others believed him a socialist or Communist, while others, to be absolutely sure, said he was both."

I'll tell you which kind. A socialist that increased government spending higher and at a faster rate than any other president before or after until PeeBo came along. The guy who pioneered the tax our way into prosperity by taking money from the people and spending it on make work projects. How'd that work out for those in the Great Depression, by the way? It's no secret that FDR idolized his buddy, Papa Joe. The rest of us know him better as Joseph Stalin. So, I don't think the Communist nameplate is as far removed as you liberal FDR lionizers would like to believe, either.

Today, of course, we know that the right's tyranny-fears were nonsense. Most of Roosevelt's innovations have been the law of the land for 70 years now, and yet we are still a free society free enough, that is, to allow tens of thousands of protesters to gather on the National Mall and to broadcast their slogans and speeches to the world via C-SPAN.

By this definition, were every other right guaranteed in the constitution removed, we'd still be 'free.' That means; no press, no freedom of religion, no right to bear arms, no protection from search and seizure, no protection from cruel and unusual punishment, no womens voting rights, shall I continue?

Even such pits of statism as Britain and Canada remain free societies, generally speaking, despite having gone skipping blithely down the universal-health-care road to serfdom decades ago.

They're so free! Just ask Mark Steyn about freedom of speech in Canada.

For the sort of people who gathered on the Mall last weekend, however, I doubt that such observations would matter in the least.

Such observations matter in the least, because they are inherently flawed, and you're a condescending douche who just doesn't get it.

Moment of inadvertent honesty:

Government intervention equals tyranny. Liberalism is forever a form of despotism-in-waiting.

By the way, I'm still waiting...

Please take the time to comment!

Grab Your Horses

Time to dust off those sheets and hoods!



It's funny, that's not at all how I took Joe Wilson's comments last week. However, when Hank Johnson (the batsh*t crazy congressman who beat out Cynthia McKinney for this seat) says it that way, there's no doubt. Saddle up, boys! I'll bring the crosses, you guys get the gasoline!

I seriously have to question the sanity of these people right here. These guys are two for two.

Please take the time to comment!

Jingoistic Post of the Day

From teh ABC News:

President Obama was blasted by a top Latino ally on Monday for modifying his health-care plan in the face of conservative criticism.

The criticism was leveled in Spanish by Rep. Luis Gutierrez, a Democrat from Illinois who was the first Latino member of Congress to endorse Barack Obama for president.

Referring to the Obama administration, Gutierrez said: "Those who should be our friends, our allies, are more and more giving Rep. (Joe) Wilson, R-S.C., exactly what he wants to continue with this prejudice against our community."

Two points/questions:

1. Did I miss the part during Obama's speach to the joint session of congress where Joe Wilson interrupted PeeBo and Said, 'You Lie!' Followed shortly thereafter by, 'And I hate all them damn Mexeekins, too!'?
2. There are Latinos in Chicago?
   

But Gutierrez wasn't done being a complete moron:

Gutierrez, who made his remarks in Washington, D.C., while participating in a panel discussion on immigration reform sponsored by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, was incensed by the Obama administration's announcement over the weekend that it was going to bar undocumented workers from participating in the health insurance exchange.

Wait, what? He was 'incensed' because illegals will not be able to participate in a government program in a country that they are inhabiting in violation of the laws of said country?

Huh, I think I see where he's coming from on that one...

For your collective ire, here is the text of the Congressional Oath of Office:

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.

Please take the time to comment!

Nailed It!

Ha HA!

Seems as though I'm the one with the l33t crowd size estimating skills, Paul. How do I know? What sort of brilliance backed up my flawless math and logic? The Other McCain's of course!

My friend Barbara Espinosa was the source of the first concrete crowd numbers: 450,000, counted by a people-meter at the intersection of Constitution Avenue and 11th Street, two blocks east of the starting point of the march to the Capitol.

As a refresher from my "Hundreds of Thousands Rally In DC, Against Big Government" post:

Using the Parks estimate of 1 person per 2.5 square feet leaves us with approximately 440,000 people along Pennsylvania Avenue when this picture was taken

Nevermind that these are two different street names, and the picture I analyzed was taken to the north of the rally area, not to the east as Stacy indicates in his post. Just, for a moment focus on nothing but the number.

That's right, I posted the exact same number (+/-2%) as Stacy McCain. Locations, times, dates, and all other important evidence be damned!

I truly amaze myself sometimes.

Please take the time to comment!

Toss Civility!

Seriously, at what point do these people no longer deserve respect, nor civility from their constituents? From the HotAir:

Via Michelle, who notes that Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA) isn’t exactly known for his calm, rational dialogue. However, even this seems over the top from a sitting Congressman responding to criticism from his constituents. When a man at Stark’s town hall concludes with the well-known phrase, “Don’t pee on my leg and tell me it’s raining” — meaning “don’t lie to me” — Stark goes, well, starkers by the 1:30 mark:

“I wouldn’t dignify you by peeing on your leg. It wouldn’t be worth wasting the urine.”

Just when you thought that the height of Beltway arrogance had been reached by Arlen Specter’s “No one is paying me to meet with you,” or Baron Hill’s “You don’t tell me how to run my Congressional office,” along comes Pete Stark to claim the grand prize by insisting that his constituents aren’t fit to experience the warm splash of his anointed urine.

This must be a new initiative from the Democrats in Congress — urine conservation. Is urine an endangered resource on Capitol Hill? Because we’re all pretty sure that horse puckey ain’t.

You know, when Clinton was elected (my first Democratic presidential experience) my parents said to me "Regardless of how we feel about the man in the office, we respect the office." I'm sorry, but not only is this jackass (or any other politician of your choosing for that matter) not fit for office, he shows no respect for anyone he shares the room with. Why do we show him (or any of them) respect? Screw the respect the office 'BS,' the guy deserves to be tarred and feathered.

Skunks, is this something you can hook us up with?
Please take the time to comment!

Hundreds of Thousands Rally In DC, Against Big Government (UPDATED)

I'm going to go out on a limb here and claim that the crowd number vastly out paces what the DC Fire Department estimates as 70,000 and undercuts the 'generous' number offered by the Daily Mail at 2,000,000. I've settled on a number between 500,000 and 750,000 people, and here's how I got there.

Courtesy of Michelle Malkin, here is a crowd estimator that USA Today published before the Inauguration of PeeBo.



The estimator determines crowd sizes for the National Mall area which stretches between the Capitol building and the Washington Monument. The numbers are based upon a density of one person per 2.5 square feet. The trick here is that from the pictures of the event, including this video still, the tea party crowd did not inhabit the mall, but instead Pennsylvania Avenue, just to the north. You can see in the picture below, the placement of the camera (yellow and red dot), the area where the crowd gathered, and the direction the camera was pointing (yellow line).

We also know that the protesters inhabited the steps of the capitol building and the area surrounding the Capitol Reflecting Pool and the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial. According to the US Parks Service, with people filling the steps of the Capitol and the area surrounding the Reflecting Pool is equal to approximately 190,000 people.

Now, from the Capitol Building down Pennsylvania Avenue to where the camera was placed is almost exactly one mile. In the picture we can clearly see that people filled the street including sidewalks and bled over into cross streets. The average width (based upon three very unscientific measurements using google maps) of Pennsylvania Avenue, including sidewalk ares, is 210 feet. Therefore, the space which makes up the area the protesters were inhabiting along Pennsylvania Avenue is equal to 1,108,800 square feet, approximately. Using the Parks estimate of 1 person per 2.5 square feet leaves us with approximately 440,000 people along Pennsylvania Avenue when this picture was taken, which doesn't account for the widening of Pennsylvania Avenue into the square which people are visibly inhabiting in the foreground of the second picture.

Note that the picture above is taken from the corner of 14th Street and E Street, looking East toward the Capitol Building. It is also safe to say that people bled off the picture to the West (bottom of the picture) toward the White House. Taking the two numbers together, 190,000 and 440,000 we get a total somewhere in the neighborhood of 630,000 people. This number would not include any people gathering on the National Mall, which I have not seen pictures of, but can't assume that there weren't at least some people there. Also the pictures happen to be single moments in time, and do not reflect the coming and going of individuals throughout the day.

There have been a few people out in the blogosphere who claim that the crowd size was nowhere near the size of the 'pro-immigration' (read: pro-criminal alien) rally in Los Angeles. Really?! Take a look at this picture from MSDNC and compare it with the still frame from above.

Nowhere near?!

One thing remains certian, however. Using 'Progressive' math, the crowd size in Washington DC on September 12th, was easily 2 Million people.

-UPDATE-

Almost as soon as I hit publish post, I stumbled across these pictures posted over at Protein Wisdom
This first camera shot is taken somewhere between the steps of the Capitol Building and the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial (note the statue of the man on the horse in the foreground) and is pointed West, toward the Washington Monument in the background.
This second picture is taken from almost the exact same location, however, further east, closer to the Capitol steps. Note that you can still make out the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial directly in front of the Washington Monument, although it's futher away.
This final picture appears to have been taken near the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and 4th Street. The camera is pointed east toward the Capitol Building.

It pains me to say this, but after seeing these new pictures, you can take all that crappy math I did before and toss it out the window. Someone is going to have to convince me that there were less than 1 million people there. Amazing!

As a side note, there were also several tea party events across the United States for those who were not able to make it to Washington. How many thousands gathered in those locations as well? The left can deflate the numbers all they want, the reality is that there is a large portion of the populace which is not happy with PeeBo or this Congress.

-BREAKING-

Photo of the official from DC Fire who released the 70,000 crowd figure.



Please take the time to comment!

Now Back To Our Regularly Scheduled Program

Before we get too far into this post, all Gawker Media websites are sh*t. Yes Paul, even Deadspin. Below is a hit list of why, in my opinion, anything from Gawker Media should be printed on unrecycled bleached white paper, and used to cover the floor in your puppy training pen. Here are some of the greatest hits:

1. Alex Pareene is a Douche. A whiny, quitter of a douche at that. Alex apparently still wets his diaper over President Bush's election, and the events of 9/11/01. He thinks that reminding people of what happened that day resulted in a "vast national wave of jingoism, paranoia, dread, and fear." He criticizes the administration's handling of that day, the way the public reacted to that day, the way many liberal's lives were changed that day (some of whom proclaimed to become conservative after 9/11) and the resulting war and internment of war criminals, also known as terrorists.
   
   However, you'll be pleased to know that when Obama rode in on his white horse, the seas were calmed the storm subsided and now, "This is the first anniversary of that terrible day, though, that the Terrorists will not still be winning." Did you get that? He's saying that since Bush is no longer in the White House, the terrorists are no longer winning. So, either Bush was a terrorist... or reminding people of what happened that day and our actions as a nation after 9/11 were, in fact, terrorism. This passes for intelligent blog posting over at Gawker.
   
   *Editor's Note: What follows can be classified as righteous anger, please administer earmuffs.*
   
   ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!??! HOW FUCKTARDED CAN YOU BE?! WHAT A GODDAM TWATWAFFLE!
   
   *Editor's Note: This concludes the righteous anger section of the blog, you may remove your earmuffs. Thank you.*
   
   Pareene then goes on to say that Glenn Beck is a terrorist for trying to recover the feeling that we had on 9/12. Glenn is of course referring to the unity that we felt as Americans, and how we all identified with New Yorkers and those in Washington DC that day. We weren't Democrats or Republicans, we were Americans first and foremost. Alex, however, is too fricking thick to understand that. He believes that Glenn is calling for all of us to be in the state of sheer panic which gripped the city itself that day and for a few days after. He sums up his post by stating:
   

   "Glenn Beck is an actual terrorist, and the people attending his rally in DC tomorrow are al-Qaeda in America."

   Hey Alex, stay assy!
   
   
2. MOMMY! They're showing that scary video again! Gabriel Snyder is a douche as well, but not nearly as obtuse as Alex. Gabriel thinks the worst way to memorialize September 11th is to show what actually happened that day. Why? Because it's hard to watch?! Boo-f*cking-hoo. This nation needs strong reminders of what it is that our enemy (who by the way is still at war with us, whether or not we are with him) is willing to do to attack and ultimately kill us. If you pussy libtards can't handle it, then I suggest you all take a vacation to France for the week and neck with some guy named Pierre who hasn't showered in a week.
   
   
3. Matt Hardigree rounds out our trifecta of douchebaggery. Conservative calls for the boycott of purchasing a product which is manufactured by a company which is primarily owned by the government is Un-American. Hardigree, a former Democratic staffer, thinks that the "Far Right Wing Hates America!" Hey asshat, wanna know what's Un-American?! Government takeover of private enterprise. It's called socialism, and it's distinctly Un-American. Conservatives calling for the support of a privately owned business versus doing business with a Government Enterprise is called Capitalism, and that is distinctively pro-American.
   

Have an alternative to a Gawker Media website? Post the link in the comments, and I'll permalink it in the sidebar. Please take the time to comment!

Lives Lost September 11, 2001

List of World Trade Center Victims

American Airlines Flight 11 (Scroll down a bit to find the names)

United Airlines Flight 175

Pentagon

American Airlines Flight 77

United Airlines Flight 93

Project 2996: Remembering Andrew Stern

Andrew Stern, 41, of Bellmore, N.Y., a bond broker at Cantor Fitzgerald, worked on the 104th floor of 1 World Trade Center. A huge New York Yankees fan, Stern helped coach his son's Little League team and took his son to Yankees games. Stern usually rose at 4 a.m. to go to the gym before work. An avid runner and solid athlete, he ran in the New York City Marathon

USA Today

September 11, 2001 started off just as any other late summer day in the Hudson Valley. Andrew rose that morning at 4:00 AM for is usual morning run. It was unusually clear and the sun shown brightly on the two towers at the center of World Trade Plaza. Andrew worked on the 104th floor of WTC 1, and was busy at work when his life and the lives of thousands of others were violently shaken at 8:45 that morning. He was one of 700 employees Cantor Fitzgerald is estimated to have lost that day.

Unfortunately, the further from 9/11/01 we get, the harder it is to find information on those who were lost that day, but I was able to find a tribute written to Andrew on September 11, 2006. Do yourself a favor and read it.

God Bless and keep Andrew Stern's family. May they be comforted.

For more information on Project 2996, please visit their website.

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The Long Term Impact of 9/11

We can look back at September 11, 2001 and state, now, that it was largely a failure. Yes, nearly 3,000 people lost their lives that day, and many more lives were disrupted for several days, weeks, months and years following, however, the long term impacts have been relatively minimal. The planned destruction of western civilization, specifically the financial sector was avoided. Terrifying Americans out of continuing in their way of life, was at best temporary. Unfortunately, the bonding effect was also temporary. Whereas in December, 1941 every American knew who the enemy was, and were ready to make any sacrifice necessary; September 2001 has done little to crystallize the American masses into once again facing an enemy head on and fighting until the defeat.

We are once again, asleep at the wheel. We are facing an enemy who seeks our utter and complete destruction, and we are more concerned with whether or not someone held the men responsible upside down and poured water on their faces. We have lulled ourselves back into slumber in an era of hope and change. Instead of 9/11/01 acting as a wake up call or an alarm, we instead treated it as nothing more than an annoyance, hitting the snooze button and then rolling over to go back to sleep. In an era of 'Political Correctness' we have allowed ourselves to get caught up in an argument over the propriety of sleep deprivation and assault via caterpillar. The next time you are asked to be politically correct in dealing with those who attacked us on 9/11/01, ask what is politically correct about flying loaded planes into two heavily populated sky rises and the Pentagon. Then ask what's politically correct about beheading someone who does not beleive as you do with a dull knife.

We have met the enemy, and he is us.

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Questions Without Answers

Many across the nation and the world end the day with questions, many without answers. Who is responsible? Why would they attack heavily populated Manhattan? Why planes and buildings? Where are my loved ones, and are they safe? What does this mean for our military?

Things as simple as person to person communication were in complete disarray, indeed even cell phone communication was impacted for days after the attacks. It would take days, weeks and in some cases months before these questions were understood and answered. Our world is still changing as a result of that day, but one thing remains certain, 'We Will Never Forget!'

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President Addresses The Nation

President Bush addresses the nation, saying "thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil" and asks for prayers for the families and friends of Tuesday's victims. "These acts shattered steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve," he says. The president says the U.S. government will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed the acts and those who harbor them. He adds that government offices in Washington are reopening for essential personnel Tuesday night and for all workers Wednesday.

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Missing Heroes

The New York Police Department says that at least 78 officers are missing. The city also says that as many as half of the first 400 firefighters on the scene were killed.

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President Arrives Back at White House

President Bush arrives back at the White House in Washington, D.C.

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WTC 7 Collapses

The 47-story Building 7 of the World Trade Center complex collapses. The evacuated building is damaged when the twin towers across the street collapse earlier in the day. Other nearby buildings in the area remain ablaze.

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President Departs for Washington, D.C.

President George W. Bush leaves Offutt Air Force Base near Omaha, Nebraska headed back to Washington, D.C.

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Evil Has a Name

U.S. officials say there are "good indications" that Saudi militant Osama bin Laden, suspected of coordinating the bombings of two U.S. embassies in 1998, is involved in the attacks, based on "new and specific" information developed since the attacks.

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NSC Meeting

Karen Hughes, a White House counselor, says the president is at an undisclosed location, later revealed to be Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, and is conducting a National Security Council meeting by phone. Vice President Dick Cheney and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice are in a secure facility at the White House. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is at the Pentagon.

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Services Partially Restored

At a news conference, Giuliani says that subway and bus service are partially restored in New York City. Asked about the number of people killed, Giuliani says, "I don't think we want to speculate about that -- more than any of us can bear."

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Flights Grounded Through Sept 12

The FAA announces there will be no U.S. commercial air traffic until noon EDT Wednesday at the earliest. It's nearly a week before air travel returns to normal within the United States.

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Coordinated Terrorist Attack?

Senior FBI sources tell CNN they are working on the assumption that the four airplanes that crashed were hijacked as part of a terrorist attack.

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Navy Moves Warships Off East Coast

The Pentagon says five warships and two aircraft carriers will leave the U.S. Naval Station in Norfolk, Virginia, to protect the East Coast from further attack and to reduce the number of ships in port. The two carriers, the USS George Washington and the USS John F. Kennedy, are headed for the New York coast. The other ships headed to sea are frigates and guided missile destroyers capable of shooting down aircraft.

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State of Emergency Delcared

A state of emergency is declared by the city of Washington.

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President Bush Speaks

President Bush, speaking from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, says that all appropriate security measures are being taken, including putting the U.S. military on high alert worldwide. He asks for prayers for those killed or wounded in the attacks and says, "Make no mistake, the United States will hunt down and punish those responsible for these cowardly acts."

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Just 50 Planes Left to Land

All but 50 planes over the United States have been successfully diverted and recovered. The last 50 in the air report no problems.

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San Francisco International Airport Shutdown

San Francisco International Airport, destination for United Flight 93 which crashed in rural Pennsylvania, is shutdown and evacuated.

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LAX Shutdown

Los Angeles, destination for three of the four hijacked planes, is shutdown and evacuated.

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President Bush Lands In Louisiana

President George W. Bush lands at Barksdale Air Force Base.

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Reports of Missing Planes

11:18 a.m.: American Airlines reports it has lost two aircraft. American Flight 11, a Boeing 767 flying from Boston to Los Angeles, had 81 passengers and 11 crew aboard. Flight 77, a Boeing 757 en route from Washington's Dulles International Airport to Los Angeles, had 58 passengers and six crew members aboard. Flight 11 slammed into the north tower of the World Trade Center. Flight 77 hit the Pentagon.

11:26 a.m.: United Airlines reports that United Flight 93, en route from Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco, California, has crashed in Pennsylvania. The airline also says that it is "deeply concerned" about United Flight 175.

11:59 a.m.: United Airlines confirms that Flight 175, from Boston to Los Angeles, has crashed with 56 passengers and nine crew members aboard. It hit the World Trade Center's south tower.

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NY Grinds To A Halt, Further Evacuations

10:57 a.m.: New York Gov. George Pataki says all state government offices are closed.

11:02 a.m.: New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani urges New Yorkers to stay at home and orders an evacuation of the area south of Canal Street.

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North Tower Collapses

The World Trade Center's north tower collapses from the top down, falling in upon itself and generating a tremendous cloud of debris and smoke. Hundreds of innocent lives, and lives of the hero's who tried to save them are lost. The New York skyline is forever changed.

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Flights Diverted

All inbound flight traffic destined for the United States is diverted to Canada.

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More Government Agencies Evacuated

In Washington, the State and Justice departments are evacuated, along with the World Bank.

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United Nations Evacuates

The United Nations building evacuates, including 4,700 people from the headquarters building and 7,000 total from UNICEF and U.N. development programs.

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Further Damage at the Pentagon

Due to the force of the impact and raging fires, one of the outer walls on the western face of the Pentagon collapses.

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The South Tower Collapses

With fires burning unchecked for more than an hour, the South Tower of the World Trade Center succumbs to gravity and stress, falling to the street below. Hundreds still trapped within the building, and countless hero's who ran into the building to help with evacuation are killed in an instant.

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Flight 93 Goes Down

Flight 93, the last of the hijacked aircraft crashes into a field near Stonycreek Township, PA. It is speculated that the passengers aboard the flight breached the cockpit door and disrupted the navigation of the plane causing it to roll over on its belly and strike the ground at more than 550 mph.

None aboard survive the impact.

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Revolt Aboard Flight 93

Passengers begin an all out assault on the cockpit of United Flight 93 attempting to reclaim control of the aircraft from the three hijackers now barricaded within. This action is believed to have caused the hijackers to give up plans for attacking a fourth target, speculated to have been the White House itself.

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President Bush Departs Florida

In a flight that would ultimately take him to Louisiana and Nebraska before returning to Washington, President Bush and his staff take off from Sarasota Florida aboard Air Force One.

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White House Evacuates

The order is given and the White House is evacuated.

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American Flight 77 Strikes The Pentagon

American Airlines Flight 77 crashes into the west side of the Pentagon, killing all 64 aboard and 125 on the ground.

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Second Group of Fighters Scrambled

Two F-16 fighters are scrambled from Langley Air Force Base, Virginia headed for Washington, DC.

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President Bush Speaks

President George W. Bush makes a statement from Emma Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida calling the crashes an "apparent terrorist attack."

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Calls From Flight 93

After Flight 93 was hijacked, and the pilot and crew moved out of the cockpit and into the passenger area of the plane, Tom Burnett called his wife to report the situation. Once informed of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, he replied that the hijackers were "talking about crashing this plane ... Oh my God. It's a suicide mission." He ended his call by saying, "Don't worry, we're going to do something."

This phone call is followed by several others culminating with the phone call where Todd Beamer's famous, 'Let's Roll' comment was overheard by Lisa Jefferson at 9:55 AM.

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Nation Goes Into Lockdown

The orders are given shutting down all airports nationwide and banning takeoffs of all civilian aircraft by the FAA.

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NORAD Notified of 3rd Suspected Hijacking

The FAA contacts NORAD's Northeast Air Defense Sector, notifying them of the suspected hijacking of American Airlines Flight 77.

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Island Goes Into Lockdown

9:08 A.M. - The FAA bans all takeoffs of flights going to or through New York airspace.

9:17 A.M. - The FAA shuts down all New York City-area airports.

9:21 A.M. - All bridges and tunnels into Manhattan are closed.

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United Flight 175 Stikes the South Tower

United Airlines Flight 175 strikes the south World Trade Center tower klling all 65 aboard and countless within the building.

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Fighters Scrambled

Otis Air National Guard Base in Fallmouth, Massachusetts scrambles two F-15's after notification of the first suspected hijacking.

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American Airlines 11 Strikes the North Tower

American Airlines Flight 11 strikes the north World Trade Center tower, killing all 92 aboard and countless in within the building itself.

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NORAD Notified of Second Possible Hijacking

The FAA notifies NORAD's Northeast Air Defense Sector of a second suspected hijacking. This time of United Airlines Flight 175.

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United Airlines Flight 93

United Airlines Flight 93, with 44 people on board, departs from Newark International Airport bound for San Francisco International Airport.

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NORAD Notified of Possible Hijacking

The FAA notifies NORAD's Northeast Air Defense Sector of a suspected hijacking aboard American Airlines Flight 11.

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American Airlines Flight 77

With 64 aboard, American Airlines Flight 77 departs Washington Dulles International Airport bound for Los Angeles International Airport.

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United Airlines Flight 175

15 short minutes later, United Airlines Flight 175 departs from Boston's Logan International Airport bound for Los Angeles International Airport with 65 souls aboard.

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American Airlines Flight 11

Loaded with 92 people aboard, American Airlines Flight 11 departs Boston's Logan International Airport heading for Los Angeles Inernational Airport.

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9/11/01: The Day As It Happened

Today, I'll be departing from my traditional political focus and recount the day that changed so many lives just eight short years ago. I struggled to understand the impact of that day and still have yet to understand it's full meaning. One thing, however, is resoundingly clear; we are at war with an enemy that desires nothing less than the complete eradication of our way of life. Minimalize it, trivialize it, blame it on our presence in their nation or whatever else you wish; the fact remains that Islam does not tolerate dissent and will not rest until all believe as they do, or are destroyed.

For the rest of the day, September 11th, 2001; as it happened.

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AWOL, and Lovin' It!

Dear kind subscribers, readers, and general lost souls,

This letter is to inform you that I will be out of the office Saturday September 5th through Wednesday September 9th. If you have an immediate need, please contact Paul, Andy, Christina, Patrick, Skunks or BHR. Otherwise leave a message, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Good Day,

Classicaliberal
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Joey Plugs: 'You're welcome!'

Joey Plugs ran to the microphones earlier this week to declare, unequivocally, that the Stimulus has worked! Not only has it worked, he said, it's worked better than expected! That's fantastic, considering that the Stimulus was touted as the single greatest way to not only save jobs, but completely turn around the economy. I guess that means it's going gangbusters out there!!!

Video credit The Associated Press

Thank G*d! I was beginning to think that my family members unemployment was going to last forever. Imagine then my surprise when I picked up the phone to ask said family members how they were enjoying their new employment. It's going to be a rough Thanksgiving this year...

Turns out, unsurprisingly, that Joey got it wrong, AGAIN! Or, is 9.7% unemployment (a 26-year high) a recovery?

Exit quote:

"Eight out of 10 of the largest banking institutions in the country... as well as sixteen smaller banks have repaid the government in full. And, I might add, at a $4 Billion profit for the taxpayer..."

Superb! I'll take a check. Please make it payable to...

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Footbrawl?

Screen capture from 'The Four Letter' video.

In case you've been living on Mars for the last three weeks, you are fully aware that Footbaw season truly got off the ground tonight. There were a couple of games played, but only one team, truly got played. Yes, I speak of the Oregon Ducks. They weren't just beaten by the Boise State Broncos, they were bloodied up and then completely humiliated, multiple times. It was a stunning game to watch. However, most of the fireworks happened after regulation had run out.

Number 9, Running Back for Oregon, LeGarrett Blount lost his sh*t. There's really no other way to put it. He was -5 yards carrying for the night. The Ducks as a team had less than 40 yards rushing the entire game... Hell, even my Raiders do better than that when playing against the Patriots. None-the-less, Blount was not a happy duck when the game drew to a close. As players were headed from the field to their locker rooms, Number 94 Defensive End, Byron Hout ran up to Blount and slapped him on the shoulder and more than likely talked some trash. That's when the wheels fell off. Blount turned to face Hout and then cleaned his clock with a right cross that Hout is sure to still be feeling Saturday night. Listen, I've seen guys go down, but Hout went all the way down. He was kissing the blue turf. No doubt that Blount's career is effectively ovah! It should be mentioned that Hout slapped Blount on the the shoulder pads, and Blount punched a helmetless Hout in the face, in return.

It's a sad state of affairs when PAC/WAC players feel it necessary to punch each other in the jaw after a disheartening loss. However, what a way to start College Footbaw 2009-2010, huh?!?

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Completely Out of Character

This blog post is going to be completely out of character from what you are used to reading here. Truth is, everyone needs a break from politics, even me. Don't ask me why, but it occurred to me today that there are a few words which some people use during the course of conversation that just make my skin crawl. Can't tell you why, but it happens. You ever experience anything like that?

• Pop/Soda Pop
• Morsel
• Supper (Yes, I know that's what proper southern folk call dinner, but for a California boy, it's just weird, ok?)
• Cake of Soap
• Succulent
  

Anyway, I want to know what words or phrases 'weird you out' or sound funny to you. Let me know below.

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Great Idea

This is such a great idea! I mean, who couldn't get behind it?!

Not the most effective way to communicate your message there, WWF.


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Politicizing Children

I'm sorry, but any political message pushed on children is wrong, period. Do we really have to have the discussion about who's responsibility it is to raise a child, again?! Parents alone should determine what if any religious exposure a child has, as well as what if any political exposure a child should have. And, while we're on the subject, let's add sex to that list.

UPDATE
Missed this at Moonbattery.

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DNC Aims Low; Hopes To Bag... Anyone Willing To Be Identified a Democrat?

 

Borrowed from 'The Peace Pretzel'

Please, please, please when pollsters call you for the generic ballot say you're a democrat, we beg you!

How to tell when the DNC is losing... The DNC is releasing an ad taking aim at the former republican vice president. True story. There are two things that this indicates. Number one, as mentioned, that the DNC has no effective message to share with voters. Instead they have to throw mud at a private citizen and former republican vice president, Dick Cheney.

The second thing that this indicates, based upon this most recent ad release along with 'a string of Web videos and press releases', the democrats believe that Cheney is the most powerful voice in the country against their agenda. This is disheartening. There was talk going around over the last several months that Barack Obama was going to be the next Jimmy Carter who was going to usher in the next Ronald Reagan. The only problem with this logic is; there's no Ronald Reagan waiting in the wings. The GOP, more than anything else, needs a person who is going to dust off and take up the mantle of conservatism and reignite the base of this party. It's only through conservatism that the terror which the progressive agenda has visited on the United States of America over the last century can be rolled back and ultimately undone. It's only through conservatism that free market capitalism and representative republicanism is going to be revisited upon the people of this great nation. It's only through conservatism that the greatest economic engine this world has ever known is going to be once again cranked up and will begin to produce the jobs and the wealth that this country and world so desperately need.

Or, we could just elect Mike Huckabee...

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