Guest Blogging

This week I will be guest blogging for Confessions of a Political Junkie. Erick Erickson is a friend and fellow political consultant (though he is a lawyer too. . .grrr). But seriously . . . he will be in DC for the weekend and asked me and some other excellent bloggers to fill in for him. I'm glad to do it.

I'll keep my regular postings here as I help Erick as well.

Update On Fired Swiftie. . . .

Captain's Quarters has a further update on Stephen Gardner, the Swift Boat mate of John Kerry who opposed him publicly during the election. As I reported in a previous article, the timing of his dismissal from his company was suspiciously close to his vehement public opposition to his former shipmate, John Kerry.

Captain's Quarters gives informaiton on how to financially help Mr. Gardner in this difficult financial time for him. And he deserves it. He has a PayPal account, so you can log into yours and send him some money at his email address, sgardner5@carolina.rr.com.

I stated in that previous article,

"I don't know what his true work record is--that's an unknown that often derails the validity of such stories. We'll have to find out more about that to be clear about the timing. But it sure seems more that coincidental."

In the interest of fairness, Mr. Garnder's former employer, Millennium Information Services, has sent out an explanation of the reasons for his layoff which I have copied in it entirety from Captain's post. It turns out that prudence dictates complete understanding of the situation:

Millennium Information Services is a small business that has been wrongly stigmatized by the Chicago Sun-Times article about Steve Gardner. The article is clearly meant to create the impression that Steve Gardner’s layoff was politically motivated. That just simply isn’t true. It is also important to note that the Sun-Times reporter, Mary Laney, never contacted us regarding this article.

Here are some key facts that correct missing or inaccurate statements made in the Sun-Times article:

For purely financial reasons, we had to reduce management expenses. A decision was made to consolidate field management from five managers to three. The two affected field managers resided in the areas where our business had the most significant decreases. Mr. Gardner was one of those managers. Two additional corporate managers were laid off on the same day. No one in the company’s management was even aware of Mr. Gardner’s connection to John Kerry.

To help offset the elimination of Mr. Gardner’s supervisory position, Millennium offered Mr. Gardner other non-supervisory work, which he decided not to take. Since that time Millennium has offered Mr. Gardner additional work opportunities, which he has also declined.

The Sun-Times article states that Mr. Gardner was terminated via email. That is also incorrect. Mr. Gardner was informed of the layoff in a personal phone conversation with his supervisor. The
email referenced in the article was simply a formal follow-up, not the primary means of informing Mr. Gardner. The only reason he was not contacted face-to-face was because he was an out-of-state
employee.

In the Sun-Times article, Ms. Laney stated that Mr. Gardner had “seen the company advertising his old position.” A simple check of the facts would have shown that to be false. The advertisement placed by Millennium was for a non- supervisory position.

The Sun-Times article does not accurately reflect what occurred with Steve Gardner in regards to his employment with Millennium. It creates an erroneous perception that he was singled out for his
political involvement. That is false. Three other employees also lost their jobs on that day for the same economic reasons.

Millennium as a company does not endorse or support any political position or candidate. We leave those personal decisions to individuals.

We sincerely hope this helps to clarify the truth[.]

To be certain, the Chicago Sun Times did not pin down the information needed to confirm or deny the validity of either side of the story (something to which Opinion Times itself is not immune). It would have been nice to see what really happened. And certainly Kerry's people and the company will not freely admit any wrongdoing.

Let's see how it plays out. I still suspect some funny business.

Diplomatic News

Neophyte Pundit links us to an interesting website of insider Republican Foreign Service agents who are career State Department employees.

Click on the link above and visit Neophyte Pundit's post to find out more.

It Ain't Good To Be A Dissenting Swiftie

It turns out that one of John Kerry's shipmates who refused to join Kerry's "Band of Brothers" has suffered some consequences. His name is Steve Gardner from South Carolina. He received a call asking him to join the other 12 shipmates of Kerry, but he refused in the strongest of terms because he feld Kerry was a "coward" in Vietnam. Then this is what happened:

Chicago Sun Times: Gardner said he received a call from Douglas Brinkley, the author of Tour of Duty: John Kerry and the Vietnam War. Brinkley told Gardner he was calling only to "fact check" the book -- which was already in print. "I told him that the guy in the book is not the same guy I served with. I told him Kerry was a coward. He would patrol the middle of the river. The canals were dangerous. He wouldn't go there unless he had another boat pushing him."

Days later, Brinkley called again, warning Gardner to expect some calls. It seems Brinkley had used the "fact checking" conversation to write an inflammatory article about Gardner for Time.com. The article, implying that Gardner was politically motivated, appeared under the headline "The 10th Brother."

Twenty-four hours later, Gardner got an e-mail from his company, Millennium Information Services, informing him that his services would no longer be necessary. He was laid off in an e-mail -- by the same man who only days before had congratulated him for his exemplary work in a territory which covered North and South Carolina. The e-mail stated that his position was being eliminated. Since then, he's seen the company advertising for his old position. Gardner doesn't have the money to sue to get the job back.

I guess Mr. Garnder had some more wounds to take for the war. I don't know what his true work record is--that's an unknown that often derails the validity of such stories. We'll have to find out more about that to be clear about the timing. But it sure seems more that coincidental.

One thing that is certain, though: heroism is not a one time event. It is the result of consistent behavior which has its origins in the heart of a man.

So does treachery.
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Captain's Quarters adds more to this and tells Bill O'Reilly what for! Bravo!

Social Security Will Require Borrowing

The high stakes game of Social Security Reform has begun with the first blow to the bow of the President's legislative ship. Congress and analysts are saying it could cost billions or trillions of dollars in extra federal borrowing in the next 10-20 years to replace the revenue shortfall personal savings accounts would cause. Read below:

The New York Times: "Borrowing by the government could be necessary to establish the personal accounts [President Bush is proposing to reform Social Security] because of the way [it] pays for benefits. Under the current system, the payroll tax levied on workers goes to benefits for people who are already retired.

This is called a ponzi scheme--for those of you who don't know--and if you devised one you would go to jail. . . . But I digress . . .

Personal accounts would be paid for out of the same pool of money; they would allow workers to divert a portion of their payroll taxes into accounts invested in mutual funds or other investments.

The money going into the accounts would therefore no longer be available to pay benefits to current retirees. The shortfall would have to be made up somehow to preserve benefits for people who are already retired during the transition from one system to the other, and by nearly all estimates there is no way to make it up without relying at least in part on government borrowing."

In this article, we have been given in a nutshell the argument against the President's plan which will be made over the next few months as this proposal is put together and presented to Congress. And it is all we will be talking about in the blogsphere (other than the international terrorist threat) for 2005.

The fact is, whether the federal government borrows to pay for the shortfall or not, we have already mortgaged this system but have made no payments on it yet as we continue this ponzi scheme.

We didn't know it at the time, but from 1934 when Social Security was proposed until 1935 when it was signed into law (amendments added in 1939), FDR and Democrat Congressional leaders devised a marketing scheme similar to your typical furniture store ad today: ". . . No payments and no money down until the year 2004!" Well, the payments are due now.

But there is a bright side to this which I pray the blogsphere and conservative media will bring to the forefront (I'll bet Larry Kudlow is already thinking it--Greenspan is); when money flows into the markets and not into the government ponsi scheme, increased investment will provide an economic windfall strengthening the dollar and helping steer the Titanic of credit spending away from its inevitable disaster into a savings culture the likes of which we have not seen in at least a generation. I am no economist (though I hope to be one someday), but I think the case can be made that Bush's plan will have precisely this effect on our economy.

Even if it doesn't, I'll be glad to see bloggers hone up their economic skills this next year!
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Articles of Interest
The illusion of 'wealth effects'
CURRENCY AND CREDIT MANIPULATION: Credit Expansion
The History of Social Security
Social Security Propoganda so specious it's almost funny.

Is the Declaration Constitutional

WorldNetDaily has an interesting article about hyper-deconstructionist, reinventionist history. (Thank you Conservative Zone for pointing us to it.)

OK, I know the adjectives are a bit overboard, but so is the charge leveled by the ACLU:

In a season typified by lawsuits against manger scenes, crosses and even the words "Merry Christmas," a California case is taking the "separation of church and state" one step further – dealing with whether it's unconstitutional to read the Declaration of Independence in public school.

Attorneys for the Alliance Defense Fund filed suit Monday against the Cupertino Union School District for prohibiting a teacher from providing supplemental handouts to students about American history because the historical documents contain some references to God and religion.

"Throwing aside all common sense, the district has chosen to censor men such as George Washington and documents like the Declaration of Independence," said ADF Senior Counsel Gary McCaleb. "The district's actions conflict with American beliefs and are completely unconstitutional."

When we abandon the anchor of the principles which founded this country, we can go adrift in the swells and crash against the breakers (with due respect in my analogy to Captain's Quarters).

In this season of hope and rememberance of what the Lord of Heaven and His Son Jesus Christ has done for this world, we would do well to eschew all such cancerous actions by the ACLU. Our freedom of speech in this country does not preclude us from calling the destruction of religion in our society and our documents what it is, a vile act of self-interest.

Thanksgiving Thoughts from Fellow Bloggers

Wes Roth gives his thoughts.

And here is Right Voices

Captain's Quarters has a very personal tribute.

Neophyte Pundit (Great site by the way).

Backcountry Conservative and INDC Journal are busy as usual. (We love these blogs at Opinion Times).

Our new friend Spreading Understanding has some good thoughts. We're very thankful at Opinion Times for linkage!

Instapundit has some Thanksgiving thoughts from Iraq.

American Mind is about ready for a nap!

Cox & Forkum are funny as usual.

Jeff the Baptist.

And finally, My great blogging friend, Erick Erickson at Confessions of a Political Junkie is with the in-laws. Appropriate punishment for a politcal consultant/lawyer! Kidding......wishing you a great time.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation

May we remember Thanksgiving Day solemnly, remembering the blessings which have been given to us and the joys of friends and family. May we remember and be thankful for the sacrifices made by men and women through our history to secure our freedom. May we have even greater thankfulness for those sacrificing their Thanksgiving Day in Iraq and Afghanastan and throughout the world where our military forces protect our freedom and those of other countries struggling to secure their own freedom.

Most of all, may God's light shine on our country. May He see us and take pity on us our lowly state. And may we in humility seek Him who sacrificed all that we may have life.

In this spirit, I present the following wishing all my readers a wonderful holiday and thanking you for visiting Opinion Times.
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Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation. October 3, 1863:

"The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe had enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years, with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the city of Washington, this third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-eighth.

A. Lincoln"

The First Thanksgiving Proclamation

Another reminder to us during this solemn occasion of Thanksgiving Day

The First Thanksgiving Proclamation. July 20, 1676:

"'The Holy God having by a long and Continual Series of his Afflictive dispensations in and by the present Warr with the Heathen Natives of this land, written and brought to pass bitter things against his own Covenant people in this wilderness, yet so that we evidently discern that in the midst of his judgements he hath remembered mercy, having remembered his Footstool in the day of his sore displeasure against us for our sins, with many singular Intimations of his Fatherly Compassion, and regard; reserving many of our Towns from Desolation Threatened, and attempted by the Enemy, and giving us especially of late with many of our Confederates many signal Advantages against them, without such Disadvantage to ourselves as formerly we have been sensible of, if it be the Lord's mercy that we are not consumed, It certainly bespeaks our positive Thankfulness, when our Enemies are in any measure disappointed or destroyed; and fearing the Lord should take notice under so many Intimations of his returning mercy, we should be found an Insensible people, as not standing before Him with Thanksgiving, as well as lading him with our Complaints in the time of pressing Afflictions:

The Council has thought meet to appoint and set apart the 29th day of this instant June, as a day of Solemn Thanksgiving and praise to God for such his Goodness and Favour, many Particulars of which mercy might be Instanced, but we doubt not those who are sensible of God's Afflictions, have been as diligent to espy him returning to us; and that the Lord may behold us as a People offering Praise and thereby glorifying Him; the Council doth commend it to the Respective Ministers, Elders and people of this Jurisdiction; Solemnly and seriously to keep the same Beseeching that being perswaded by the mercies of God we may all, even this whole people offer up our bodies and soulds as a living and acceptable Service unto God by Jesus Christ.'"

Blue State Blues as Coastal Parents Battle Invasion of Dollywood Values

This is a wonderfully hilarious take on the Red State, Blue State "war."

A Little Thanksgiving Chuckle

Here's a little Thanksgiving humor.

I'll be slow on the uptake for a couple of days. Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday!

Liberal Racism

Confessions Of A Political Junkie notes liberal racism in a article in the New Republic. It seems that white conservative judges are acceptable to the author, Jeffrey Rosen, while minority conservatives are personna non grata.

Shades of Uncle Toms Cabin.

Hillary the Christian Conservative

The Hoosier Parliament has discovered that Hillary thinks she is a Christian Conservative:

"Apparently Hillary still thinks we are rubes. She and Bill are trotting out their trusty old Triangulation Strategy again. Now she's a southern Christian conservative."

He quotes her here:

Crosswalk: "I always take time to worship God in as evangelical a way as is feasible, given time and location constraints. As you know, I consider myself an evangelical Christian, really a Christian conservative, if you want to know the truth, so it's nice to be 'home' again in the South, which I really consider my quote-unquote home even though I live in New York most of the time. Well, Washington, D.C., most of the time, actually, but if I'm not there I'm in New York, of course, but always thinking about being here, in the South, where I shared so many wonderful evangelical. . . moments and . . . events."

Hmmmm? Is Hillary planning on running for President? Naaaahhhhh!

UPDATE/REVISION
According to Blogs for Bush the above referenced comments were but merely a satire. Thanks Manish for the correction.

Got duped! Honing ediditorial skills as we speak. ;-)

Intelliseek's BlogPulse

Go to Blog Pulse and check it out. it has some cool tools for checking out what's happening in the blogsphere.

Gallup: Most Americans Don't Believe in Evolution

Despite the skewed headline of the survey (Third of Americans Say Evidence Has Supported Darwin's Evolution Theory--I think mine is more to the point), the Gallup organization has found amazing evidence that a large majority of Americans don't believe evolution to be a theory supported by scientific evidence.

Blog Pulse unfortunately doesn't get it:

"I've gotta ask: is this a result of the so-called educational "gains" from No Child Left Behind? And should we add "ignorance" to the BlogPulse daily graph that charts the seven deadly sins?"

Hmmmmm! Maybe this is the attitude which keeps most scientists from making any attempt to review research in light of both creation and evolution. Not the most empirical method for finding truth. (Or for finding political truth, if I may digress for a moment!)

But let's face it: there are plenty of facts to be found which support creation theory becuase there have been scientists who have undertaken to review the fact in light of the Genesis account. This is not a "slam dunk" for evolution theory.

Retro vs. Metro: Whacked Out

This and more commentary around the blogsphere today at Ouside the Beltway

Retro vs. Metro has lost it:

Beyond rumors of rigged voting machines, outright intimidation, and 30,000 other “irregularities”; beyond the DNC’s curious inability to muster any outrage over similar GOP skullduggery in 2000; beyond mainstream media’s apparent disinterest in either story, lies the awesome superiority of Bush’s message, shamelessly tailored to the lowest common denominator within his already narrow, ignorant base. Had Kerry addressed his more educated, diverse and - most importantly - numerically superior constituency, the margin in Kerry’s favor would’ve been so huge as to render wholesale vote theft impractical. And yes, we did tell you so: The Great Divide predicted this outcome quite clearly - should Democrats continue to tilt at the windmill of national unity. The Divide is permanent - but the good news is that Democrats can make it work for them...

Another example of how the left just doesn't get it. Let's look at some points:

• Republicans are generally more well informed than Democrats according to a recent survey


• No Democrat plan for change was presented. Period.


• The DNC has harped on the problems with the 2000 election results ad infinitum


• Lowest Common Denominator politics has no message and feeds only on fear. The politics which attempts to find the answers to the most difficult equations provides a plan. Kerry's message "I served in Vietnam and received really cool medals for it" and "George Bush is a bad guy." Bush's message was clear: tax reform; responsible judges; private Social Security accounts; finish Iraq and the war on terror.


• The left's assertion that 60 million people are ignorant voters is consistent with their general disdain for the "Red State" American.


• So, Kerry believes he is the one with the more educated, diverse constituency? This is the pompous, arrogant reason his message didn't resonate with Americans. Education has made a tremendously positive difference in our history. But that is only because education was followed by industrious behavior. Give me industry over education every time the choice is limited to those two alone.

This last point reminds me of a news story I read in the Arizona Republic last year. It was July in Phoenix. This is the time of year when people in Phoenix flock to San Diego to avoid the heat. It was also the month that Mensa scheduled its annual nationwide meeting. The first line of the article read, "So what kind of geniuses schedule their conference in Arizona in July?" That statement sums up the Democrat gameplan for the 2004 election.

Bringing It Back Into Perspective

Thanks to New Trommetter Times for keeping the reminder that politics is not the be-all and end-all. It is but a part of the sphere of life and personal responsibility.

"The kingdom of God will not arrive on Air Force One no matter how good the President’s character or great his ability. Don’t get me wrong: Elections are important; the law is a moral teacher. But all the laws and political victories will not help us if we lose the culture. Our job is the same no matter who is in office: that is, to make serious disciples and to bring Christian truth to bear in all of life."
—Chuck Colson

He found this at The Federalist

Daschle Filibusters His Departure

Read this. You won't believe it. The spin never stops.

Thanks Erick Erickson for posting this.

Congress Protects Insurers and Medical Providers from Conscientious Objection

The US House of Representatives added a provision in a $388 billion spending bill which will stop government agencies from causing harm to insurers and medical providers--including doctors' groups and hospitals--who refuse to pay for or offer abortion services.

"This policy simply states that health care entities should not be forced to provide elective abortions, a practice to which a majority of health care providers object and which they will not perform as a matter of conscience," said Rep. David Weldon, R-Fla., a doctor who sponsored the language. . . . "This provision is meant to protect health care entities from discrimination because they choose not to provide abortion services," he said.

This is a welcome addition to recent efforts to restrict government promotion of abortion services. There is clearly much more to be done, and state and federal government agencies in many ways fund and promote abortion providers or front organizations which give abortion referrals. For many years, doctors have become increasingly frustrated with the abortion procedure. But medical facilities and abortion providers are making hundreds of millions of dollars every year in billings for abortion procedures.

Captain's Quarters notes the struggle succintly here:

"In truth, pro-choice activists have become alarmed at the decline of abortion providers in the United States, calling it a crisis. Fewer and fewer doctors are willing to provide on-demand abortion; more doctors have become disillusioned with the casual abortions that now total more than 43 million since Roe v Wade. Democrats have paid lip service to making abortion 'rare', in Bill Clinton's words, but the reality is that the vast majority of these 43 million dead fetuses were simply inconvenient, a matter of post-conception birth control rather than any health issue on the part of either the mother or the baby. "

LifeNews.com reports that Sens. Olympia Snowe, R-ME, and Barbara Boxer, R-CA, are complaining to the Senate leadership about including this provision in the bill when it reaches the Senate. but Sen. Ted Stevens, R-AK, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee is saying he will honor the request of House leaders to keep the provision in the sprending bill.

This highlights the reality that elections are not the end of the political process but the beginning. Once we elect representatives, they must be held accountable. The prize will go to the diligent. Will the diligent in 2005 and 2006 be those who voted in President Bush and expanded Republican majorities in Congress or will it be Kerry and his supporters who feel so slighted by the election results?

Millions Come from Arabs to Fuel Clinton Library

Hypocracy abounds! Millions of dollars from Arab countries and leaders were used to fund the Clinton Library.

The New York Sun: "President Clinton's new $165 million library here was funded in part by gifts of $1 million or more each from the Saudi royal family and three Saudi businessmen.

The governments of Dubai, Kuwait, and Qatar and the deputy prime minister of Lebanon all also appear to have donated $1 million or more for the archive and museum that opened last week.

Democrats spent much of the presidential campaign this year accusing President Bush of improperly close ties to Saudi Arabia. . . . Perhaps as a result, the Saudi donations to the Clinton library are raising some eyebrows. Mr. Unger said he suspects that the Saudi support may have something to do with a possible presidential bid by Senator Clinton in 2008."

It's interesting that Clinton's endorsement of Kerry after open heart surgery focused generically on accusations that Bush spoke words of fear rather than hope to the American people. Clintons never specified whether those words centered around terrorism or economic issues. Could that have been purposeful in light of the revelations above?

Clinton did have a way of raising campaign money from non-US citizens. Is all this tied to a desire to obtain such funds for a 2008 run for Hillary. They don't call him "Slick Willie" for nothing.

Captain's Quarters has more.

Who Are We Helping?

I am sure this is a retouched photo

Read the black patch on the shoulder carefully (click on picture to enlarge). The message is clear and appropriate

Something for Us All to Consider

Where has this spirit gone?

The consciousness of having discharged that duty which we owe
to our country is superior to all other considerations.

--George Washington

Certainly the MSM is not on board with this sentiment!

Wizbang Weblog Awards

Mark Kilmer and La Shawn Barber have posts I saw which recommend Wizbang Blog's blogsphere promotion project called the Weblog Awards.

I think this is an excellent tool for promotion of an information medium which has changed the way we look a society and politics. The entire blog community radically changed the way political candidates look at grassroots politics and kept traditional media sources on their toes this year. I believe this project is a worthy attempt to highlight those who have performed the best in recent months.

Let's all participate.

Pictures the MSM Won't Show

Spreading Understanding shares with us more pictures from Iraq. You'll see the irony in the following statement by him when you see the post:

Too bad the soldiers don't care about the Iraqis, huh?

Thanks for sharing these pictures!

Republicans Enjoy Political Spotlight

Let's have at it!

Read more here.

Kerry Says UBL Tape Cost Him Election

NOT!

On the Left's Claim of Red State Ignorance. . .

With so many in the liberal media lately attempting to prove the election results are due to the stupidity of Republicans and Bush supporters, Cathy Young of the Boston Globe found that Republicans are generally more informed about the issues than Democrats.

"[In a recent study] Republicans have on average scored higher than Democrats on knowledge of political issues than Democrats -- though voters across the board tend to be woefully ill-informed. [The study] speculates that in the more recent polls, ignorant Bush supporters were likely to pick answers flattering to Bush, while ignorant Kerry voters did the opposite."

Thanks to Hoosier Review for tracking down this article.

One side of the aisle can make any sort of claim about the lack of reasonableness or ignorance of the other. I am not personally convinced either side of the aisle is "smarter" than the other. In addition, I am very suspicious of the value of high IQ scores when it comes to moral or critical judgment about the pressing issues of our time.

We must understand the methods of analysis and persuasion currently being used by either side at any given time to understand the efficacy of their agenda. Evaluated in this manner, it seems the liberal side of the aisle is much more prone to ad hominem, non sequitur and other forms of logical fallacy which has led to electoral and legislative defeat. Logical fallacy leads to emotional outburst rather than substantive deliberation. Voters may not understand but can detect analytical incoherence, and it shows eventually in the polls. Democrat politics since the 1980's have relied upon emotional debate to make its case. It worked well in the Congress then, but accumulated superficiality of argument led to their demise in 1994.

Not all Democrats nowdays are slaves to incongruity, but their leadership are currently made up of those who are--with few exceptions. At a time when the "Rockefeller Republican" lived in the empty space of inane, self-interested argument, Willaim Buckley in the press and Barry Goldwater at the head of the ticket changed the tone of the issue debate and brought back an intellectual unity which had been non-existent in the Party since FDR. This eventually led to Reagan and then to the Republican takeover in 1994. The Democrats acted like the Republicans of the turn of the century who controlled it all and sat fat and happy on the top; then whined and cried when they lost it all.

I am curious if today's Republican Party will react the same way now that we have reached our current high watermark?

Should Kentucky Governor Loose Medical License Because of Execution Duty?

A New York psychiatrist who opposes the death penalty is leading an effort to have the medical license of Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher because his role in signing the death warrant for those guilty of the death penalty in his state.

Chicago Tribune: "LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- When Gov. Ernie Fletcher signed a death warrant for a convicted killer this month, he may have done more than start the clock ticking on an execution. Some say Fletcher, a doctor, may have put his medical license at risk.

American Medical Association guidelines bar doctors from taking part, directly or indirectly, in executions, and Kentucky requires doctors to follow AMA ethical guidelines.

'I think it's a clear violation,' said Dr. Arthur Zitrin, a retired psychiatrist in New York and a death penalty opponent. Zitrin also is challenging the license of a Georgia doctor accused of helping nurses find a vein in a condemned man for a lethal injection."

The Texas Insider, commenting on the actions of Zitrin, asks the following question:

[We] now anxiously await Doctor Zitrin and his fellow travelers' next turning their attention to having the licenses of abortion doctors everywhere revoked, on similar grounds and for their more directly executing the termination of an existence, these transpiring without the benefit of a trial by jury.

Excellent point!

Remote Control Range

Hey! Look Hunters! No more rubbin' on skunk and urine smell and sittin' in cold tree stands. Now you can hunt from the web!

Thanks to Backcountry Conservative for sharing.

Here's a picture the Liberal Media doesn't show much. This and others are posted here at Right Voices. Please go check it out.

Successes in Iraq Increasing: Iraqi Forces Coalescing

Captain's Quarters has found encouraging progress in Iraq citing evidence of success in combined US/Iraqi missions.

Hoover Irony

Erick Erickson's right on target.

Confessions Of A Political Junkie: Hoover Irony: "For much of the year, Democrats have blasted President Bush using the ghost of Herbert Hoover. John Kerry said we have experienced the greatest job loss since the Great Depression. Dick Gephardt said the President has lost more jobs than Herbert Hoover. Congress[woman][person][lady][thing] Schakowsky prepared a Power Point presentation entitled 'The Worst Job Record Since Herbert Hoover.'

Well, try this on for irony. The Democrats, after a thorough drubbing at the polls, 'will have only 44 seats when the new Congress convenes in January, fewer than at any time since Herbert Hoover sat in the White House, according to records on the Senate's Web site.' (Source)

There is a God and He has a great sense of humor."

. . . Now More Evidence the President Was Right On Iraq

Sean Hackbarth has it right.

The American Mind: "I have read nothing that proves for disproves the validity of the documents linking Saddam to terrorist organizations. In fact, I've read nothing about them since their dissemination last month. Presuming Rep. Henry Hyde's committee didn't get snookered we are starting to see just how extensive Saddam's terrorist ties were."

The evidence keeps rolling in, and we have only bloggers seem to be able to research it and report the facts. Whether or not Rep. Hyde has been "snookered," television and print media need to begin to bring the information to light so we can know the truth.

Read more here.

WMD Found In Iraq.

Captain's Quarters has found evidence of WMD in Iraq. Take a look.

The news media can find evidence that a Marine shot a dead Iraqi militant and blasts it all over the news. But some pictures of WMD show up on the USA Today website, and not a word in broadcast airtime.

Thank goodness for the blogsphere. Kudos Captains Quarters!.

Racism Against the National Security Advisor

Mark Kilmer points out some important facts about racism on the part of liberal partisans.

Racist Cartoonist and their Racist Cartoons
I snagged this link from Instapundit: Democracy Project has a rundown of the racist Condoleezza Rice cartoons. From Pat Oliphant, Daryl Cagle, Matt Davies, Jeff Danziger, and Gary Trudeau. They also look at some cartoons depicting the honest, brilliant giant who is Colin Powell dealing with an addled, dwarfed President Bush.

It seems racism is now on the side of radical liberals who cannot countenance minorities participating in Republican politics.

Powell, Condi and the State of the State Department

Here is an interesting insight into the challenges Condi Rice will face as Secretary of State by Shaking Spears Blog.

It is my opinion that despite a general apprehension conservatives have of Colin Powell (many of which I share), he has acquitted himself extremely well under the circumstances presented to him. God has a way of putting the right person in the right place at the right time (stated with apologies to my left-leaning readers who cringe to think The Creator of the Universe might have a hand in human events). Mr. Powell is a man who has great respect internationally while strongly fighting for American interests abroad: that was critical in a post-9/11 world.

True, the French lied to him and he should have known better. But French media and political leaders fawned over the United States in the immediate aftermath of Islamo-facist terrorism purpetrated on our shores. They had also been strong allies during the Cold War. Yet Powell underestimated the French hatred of Bush policy. And he did ignore the reality of French complicity to radical Arab interests in the aftermath of their round with Islamo-terrorism in Algeria during the mid 20th century.

But despite Powell's French error, in my estimateion, he played a significant and positive role in administration policy during the last four years. And despite assertions that Bush has hurt our relations with many countries, it was his Secretary of State who did the yoeman's work to support Bush's pre-emption policy and maintain the alliances with our European Allies--a story much under-reported.

I agree with Pat Buchanan's assertion on Scarborough Country last night that an administration needs strong, independent personalities at the Cabinet level (I disagree with him that Condi Rice and the new appointees are not independent enough and mere administrators). Colin Powell fit that criteria with added grace and professionalism not seen since the Reagan years. And Bush chose him personally.

Condoleeza Rice will have a harder edge than Powell to be certain, but she will carry out her duties in her new office with equal independence and provoke a much needed shake-up of internal State Department politics. Her presence at State years hence will be seen as a necessary change in our diplomatic efforts in the future.

Europe Takes On SUV's

It seems that Some Europeans are dissing American SUV's.

Always A Good Reminder

"Wherever the real power in a Government lies, there is the danger of oppression."

--James Madison

Wictory Wednesday

Republicans picked up 4 Senate seats this year, including that of Tom Daschle! The organization that helped make that possible is the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC.) You can help them pick up even more seats in 2006 by donating online.

Today is Wictory Wednesday. Every Wednesday, hundreds of bloggers ask their readers to donate to an important Republican campaign.

If you're a blogger, you can join Wictory Wednesdays by e-mailing me at wictory@blogsforbush.com. I'll add you to the Wictory Wednesday blogroll. I'll also send you a reminder e-mail every Wednesday, explaining which candidate to support that day.

CARE Worker Reportedly Slain--Butcherous Act of Selfish, Irreligious Fanatics

"BAGHDAD, Iraq - Margaret Hassan, a kidnapped aid worker who spent decades bringing food and medicine to Iraqis, was believed murdered after Al-Jazeera television said Tuesday it received a video showing a hooded militant shooting a blindfolded woman in the head."

Radical Islam is not a religious movement; it is a political one. Illegitimate and brutal, they will destroy any person, good or bad, to further their ends.

My hope is that the Arab peoples will rebel against such cruelty purpetrated upon an innocent woman who was a humble servant of Iraqis.

British Hostage Believed Slain in Video

Israel and the Christian Right

Michael Freund of the Jerusalem Post editorializes that American Jews and Israel should be glad that the "Christian Right" has come to prominence in this election.

I believe he is right. And Bush picked up support from the increasing number of conservative Jews within the Jewish community in the US as well.

Kerry Buys the Line

Though we knew it would happen based on his concession statement, John Kerry will turn up the heat on President Bush when he returns to the Senate according to Confessions Of A Political Junkie.

Two words, Mr. Kerry: Al Gore.

Ohio Recourt?

It looks like there will be a recount in Ohio after all. Here's the link.

ABC apologizes for steamy intro to "Monday Night Football''

Will the networks or the NFL ever learn?

"ABC apologized Tuesday for a steamy intro to 'Monday Night Football' after receiving complaints from viewers and the NFL. The spot featured a naked Nicollette Sheridan jumping into the arms of Terrell Owens."

Hey, let's face it: The networks can do nothing less than this. They're a business and if they are going to put programs like this one on television, it's necessary to promote them. The commercial intro itself is merely a symptom of a larger problem. Let's not merely have a discussion of the appropriate and necessary apology; let's talk about the decadence of what we put on television as a whole.

ParentsTV.org has some great quotes on the problems of network television. The best of them all is this:

"Just take a look at what Disney's The Incredibles did its first weekend. In two days, it grossed $70 million, and yet a family can't find a half-hour of programming in prime time they can watch together."

- Steve Farella, president and CEO of Targetcast TCM

This one also reminds us of a time when TV was enjoyable for the family:

I thought that Steve Allen's heart was in the right place when he was trying so hard to get TV to clean up its act in the years before he died.

-- Dick Smothers, Press-Telegram, 4/23/2004

It's time to bring the debate back to the forefront.

ABC apologizes for steamy intro to ``Monday Night Football''

Reid and Durbin Lead Pro-Choice Democrat Caucus

Harry Reid, D-NV, has been chosen a leader of the Senate Democrats. His impact on judges to the Supreme Court may be negative. I am changing my earlier prediction that it was possible Reid could be helpful to pro-life judges. According to LifeNews.com, Reid has been shoring up his support with NARAL and other pro-abortion groups.

"On Tuesday, Senate Democrats chose Nevada Senator Harry Reid to replace pro-abortion Sen. Tom Daschle as their new Minority Leader. They also selected pro-abortion Illinois Senator Dick Durbin to move into Reid's vacated number two slot.

Reid has a mixed voting record on abortion issues, compiling a 55 percent pro-life voting record during the last session of Congress.

However, in addition to voting for every filibuster of Bush's judges, the Nevadan has often attempted to gut pro-life legislation by voting for competing measures that would render the bills useless.


Reid also met earlier this month with representatives of NARAL and Kate Michelman, the group's former president, to shore up his standing with the key pro-abortion group.

'Although casting some pro-life votes, Senator Reid is no ally of the pro-life movement,' Douglas Johnson, legislative director for National Right to Life, told LifeNews.com."

Read more at LifeNews.com.

LifeNews.com Threatened with Lawsuit

A Chicago Tribune advice columnist threatend legal action because of comments made by LifeNews.com. LifeNews rejected the advice the columnist, Amy Dickinson, gave to a young lady referring her to use the services of Planned Parenthood. LifeNews quotes an email received by them from Dickinson:

"Since you encourage your followers to email me, I have received a high volume of hateful email accusing me of being a murder [sic]," Dickinson said.

Read more at the link below.

Pro-Abortion Advice Columnist Threatens LifeNews.com With Legal Action

A Preview of Social Security Battles to Come

The Adam Smith Institute in London talks about changes which British Parliament is beginning to make in accounts available to citizens there which are similar to our IRA's here in the United States. It is a requirement that 75% of those funds--which are set aside on a pre-tax basis as well--be used to purchase annuities. The benefit to the government is that annuities are paid out on a guaranteed monthly basis until death which it prefers so that the elderly will stay off the welfare rolls. The drawback is that any unused portion of the annuity stays with the issuing company and cannot be passed along to ones spouse or dependents. The House of Lords recently voted to remove the annuity requirement because there is no flexibility in the amount of monthly income an individual can take or any means by which they can pass along these saving accounts to future generations.

It seems that similar restrictions will be proposed by the opponents of President Bush's plan to reform the Social Security system (Visit this website and these articles on Bush's plan).

Experience shows that some onerous restrictions will be attached to any bill which comes out of Congress. And the requisite inequities of the plan which emerges will need to be addressed sometime in the future.

One more time around FDR's retirement wheel!

Conformity or Change

Someone forwarded an article written by Henry Hazlitt in 1970 titled "Conformity or Change."

Societies function well with certain accepted standards of conduct. Businesses perform well within the conformity of adherence to standard expectations. Yet we still find ourselves within the grasp of post-modern reconstruction as exemplified by the ACLU's denunciation of the Boy Scouts and religious sentiment in general.

Henry Hazlitt's article is as relevant today as it was in the late 60's and early 70's at the peak of the "60's" college movements. We would do well to remember that the "change" attitude which gave rise to Hazlitt's admonition then is the prevailing disposition of many of our leaders today who didn't accept his exhortation then.

More "Brats" for the Future

Captain's Quarters informs us that the ACLU has won another battle against religion in our country. The dreaded Boy Scouts with their dastardly support of God and moral behavior have been effectively cut off from any support on military bases.

In so doing, the ACLU has shown its preference for the use of slang by shielding more children in military families from honorable teaching thus insuring that there will be more Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine "brats." Thanks to all the non-gender-specific members of the ACLU for your support of American principles.

Teen Birth Rates Lowest In Post-WWII America

Teen birth rates are the lowest in 58 years. Could this be evidence that abstinence education works? Or will radical feminists claim the victory?

UPDATE:
I want to highlight Jeremy Pierce's comment on this post,

"Abortion may play a role also, so I'd be wary about concluding much."

Good thought, Jeremy. This may be one factor which any study may easily overlook, but statistics--from the Alan Guttmacher Institute of all places--show that abortion has been on the decline since about 1990. The seeming correlation between decreased teen pregnancy and abortion must have its nexus in better sex-education training centered increasingly around abstinence. Yet statistics from the Centers on Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show mixed trends among various types of sexually transmitted diseases (STD's). So what effect is abstinence education really having here?

Is the jury really out on the effects of abstinence programs? I believe the trend toward a moral approach to sexual advice in schools is having a positive impact. The Heritage Foundation asserts that abstinence education programs are effective in reducing rates of pregnancy and sexual activity among teens. According to the Washington Times, the CDC attributes 53% of a reduction in teen pregnancy to abstinence education in it's 2003 Youth Risk Behavior Survey released in May of this year. This is the bank of information from which the CDC made the statements I quoted above.

Encouraging moral behavior as definied in the Judeo-Christian ethic is helping to reign in the effects of the "Free Love" generation. There's a long way to go, but the push for abstinence education in the Christian community needs to continue.

Another area which must be addressed is a viable alternative to women's health clinics based on the Planned Parenthood model. I sat on the board of a Crisis Pregnancy Center, and I know the good work they can do for women while honoring the sanctity of human life. A national approach to ministering to the needs of women in crisis on the CPC model is very much overdue. In my opinion, it's the next step in addressing teen pregnancy and other ills brought upon the country in the wake of promiscuous 60's culture.

"Don't Mock Bush, Work with Him," Blair Tells Europe

Tony Blair continues his statesmanlike stance in the War on Terror. Continued kudos to him.

Mehlman Will Head RNC

President Bush did the right thing today by naming Ken Mehlman to head the RNC.

Mehlman was the workhorse behind Karl Rove's strategy to sweep key battleground states. In so doing, he proved once again that campaigns are not won merely by purchasing the most TV ads. Wars are won on the ground, and so are elections.

Republicans can take heart that under Mehlman's leadership, the majorities established over the last 10 years can likely be kept in place for the next 20-30 years if he builds strong grassroots systems into the overall strategy of the RNC.

Bush to name campaign chief to head GOP

George Will - Validation By Defeat

George Will has--as he usually does--discerned precisely the true causes of Democrat defeat. In this case he rightly points out that they didn't have a product people wanted to buy.

This comes as no surprise to most of us, but Will puts a perfect face on Democrat ignorance of the American electorate.

In a deluge of sentiment and tears from Democrat operatives since November 2, self-reflection has quickly turned into self-aggrandizement and the subsequent disdain for the judgment of the American people--what Will calls a "Culture of Victimhood":

The culture of victimhood, and of the presumed incompetence of individuals, is both a cause and a consequence of a society sprinkled with warning labels written for imbeciles. Such as? On an iron: DO NOT IRON CLOTHES ON BODY. On a fold-up child's stroller: REMOVE CHILD BEFORE FOLDING. These warnings are, in part, defensive measures designed to protect manufacturers against an important Democratic constituency—trial lawyers wielding their premise that when anything goes wrong for anyone, someone else is culpable and should be made to pay.

This is consistent with Democrat statecraft: the art not of inspiring greatness and achievement but of building a political base through appeal to our basest nature by calculating the Lowest Common Denominator of every possible issue. This approach is causing the Democrats to fail either because they can go no lower in the realm of public discourse or the American people are moving in the other direction of seeking higher ground. It seems to me that it is much more of the latter exasperated by the former.

Nature abhors a vacuum, and Democrat policy becomes more vacuous as Democrat leaders seek to govern in a direction non-existent in the hearts of the people or the Constitution which gives them the ultimate power at the ballot box.

Proving that the free-market still provides more efficiency in its chaos than governmental refinements of chaos, George Will points correctly to the weakness of McCain-Feingold thusly:

[Proponents of McCain-Feingold] are dismayed that political spending on the presidential race (including spending by the independent 527 groups) and on all House and Senate races totaled $3.9 billion—--less than what Americans will spend on chips this year. One reason the money in politics is supposedly "too much" is that most of the money goes for advertising, and we know how powerfully it controls voters.

Actually, we don't know. For the record, John Kerry and groups supporting him spent more on advertising than Bush and groups supporting him did —nationally, and in Florida and Ohio.

And more to the point; grassroots politics always wins the day when practiced as a foundational part of a campaign plan. The real genius of Karl Rove was less his political machinations (although they were brilliantly concieved and executed) and more the force of his will to accomplish the largest grassroots effort seen in Republican politics since that which naturally arose under the inspiration of Ronald Reagan and the guidance and encouragement of Lee Atwater.

Abbas on track to succeed Arafat

Mahmoud Abbas, who was briefly Prime Minister of the Palestinian people before resigning in a power struggle with the deceased Yassar Arafat, was named President of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) yesterday.

There were immediate reactions among the more radical Palestinians similar to the following:

Story Link: " 'We don't want the government of Allawi,' said Yousef Sha'an, 26, likening Mr. Abbas to the U.S.-backed Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi. 'This is what the Americans and Israelis want. Whatever Israel wants is not the will of Palestinians.' "

If Abbas is able to maintain control over the PLO and become President, there may be a chance for peace. But Hamas, Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations within the West Bank and Gaza Strip are likely to undermine Abbas' leadership among a people indoctrinated in terror.

Abbas will come to the table. Hopefully the table will not be taken away with trouble among his people.

Thought for the day

"Let the American youth never forget, that they possess a
noble inheritance, bought by the toils, and sufferings, and
blood of their ancestors; and capacity, if wisely improved, and
faithfully guarded, of transmitting to their latest posterity
all the substantial blessings of life, the peaceful enjoyment of
liberty, property, religion, and independence."

--Joseph Story

"We Were Soldiers"

I watched Mel Gibson's movie "We Were Soldiers" for the first time Wednesday night when it aired on TNT. I was moved by the courage and dedication of the Vietnam Veteran more by that movie than any other I have seen. What a refreshing change from movies like "Full Metal Jacket" and "Apocolypse Now" which served only to sustain the myth that our soldiers who fought in that war were all criminals who killed babies. Gibson portrayed a true hero and leader who showed great courage and dedication to his men and insipred the same in them.

After a year of reminders about John Kerry's testimony before Congress in 1971 This movie was a wonderful tribute to the sacrifices of American soldiers.

I then received the link below today and read a remarkable story of another Vietnam Veteran's experience. Well worth the read.

The Experiences Of A Vietnam Veteran

Sarin Gas Found in Fallujah

Captain's Quarters reports that Sarin nerve gas has been found in Fallujah, Iraq.
"According to NPR's Anne Garrels, a reporter embedded with a Marine unit in Fallujah, the Marines found a suitcase filled with cannisters labeled 'sarin nerve gas.'"
This is a developing story.

Hiatus

Brief postings from today through the weekend. I'll be back in full swing Monday night.

I'm basking in the glow of an election victory which saw more Christians and morally minded people come to the polls than ever.

I'm in trepidation about the fact that historically such victories tend to invite complacency.

Wictory Wednesday

One of the reasons for the Republican victories this year was that Democrats were simply out-organized. Democrats got out their vote; Republicans did even better.

The hard work of such party building is done by the Republican National Committee, which orchestrated a successful Get-Out-The-Vote effort to drive voters to the polls in the last 72 hours.

To continue doing such yeoman work, the RNC needs your support. You can contribute to their efforts online.

Today is Wictory Wednesday. Every Wednesday, hundreds of bloggers ask their readers to donate to an important Republican campaign.

If you’re a blogger, you can join Wictory Wednesdays by e-mailing me at wictory@blogsforbush.com. I’ll add you to the Wictory Wednesday blogroll. I’ll also send you a reminder e-mail every Wednesday, explaining which candidate to support that day.

Worrying death threat

Andrew Sullivan points out this story of death threats by Islamists against comments in the blogsphere.

Love Won the Election

Democrats spent four years attempting to twist George Bush's "Compassionate Conservatism" into a religious takeover of government. "Faith based institutions working with government," liberals and elite media said? "It's a back-alley entrance avoiding the Church/State front door to which we have the key."

"Bush is divisive causing the country to be split," they whined after they found their pet programs would no longer receive presidential support. Yet through economic downturn exasperated by the most destructive attack on our country from outside our boarders, President Bush kept moving forward with a plan acting positively on circumstance.

It was a labor of devotion to a country by a President who didn't sit on the sidelines pandering to the most mundane instincts typically brought to political life. And he built a strong following of people who believed he had a solid heart while lacking a deft tongue.

Thus, as Michael Barone notes in his most recent column,

"Love is stronger than hate. That is the lesson of the 2004 election results. Millions of Democrats and leftists have been seething with hatred for George W. Bush for years, and many of them lined up before the polls opened to cast their votes against him--one reason, apparently, that the exit poll results turned out to favor Democrats more than did the actual results. But Republicans full of love, or at least affection, for George W. Bush turned out steadily later in the day or sent in their ballots days before."

People respond to leadership founded upon character; the law within. Peggy Noonan once noted:

In a president, character is everything. A president doesn't have to be brilliant; Harry Truman wasn't brilliant, and he helped save Western Europe from Stalin. He doesn't have to be clever; you can hire clever. . . . But you can't buy courage and decency, you can't rent a strong moral sense. A president must bring those things with him. If he does, they will give meaning and animation to the great practical requirement of the presidency: He must know why he's there and what he wants to do. He has to have thought it through. He needs to have, in that much maligned word, but a good one nonetheless, a vision of the future he wishes to create. This is a function of thinking, of the mind, the brain.

President Bush has shown this through some of the most difficult times our country has seen. And as he has navigated the ups and downs of his approval ratings and a struggling economy, it seems the American public has largely admired his willingness to stick it out thorugh tough problems. They have seen that he has not spent his time and effort wrangling about the origins of the problems except where that effort could be spent in coming to a solution. And the 2004 election, as with any mid-term presidential contest, became a referendum on the man as much as on the policies. And Barone notes,

"The results of [the 2004] election closely resemble the 2002 House results. Bush beat Kerry 51 to 48 percent; the popular vote for the House appears to be about 51 to 47 percent Republican. Voters knew the stakes--polls showed majorities thought this was an important and consequential election--and both candidates had plenty of opportunity to make their cases. Thanks to the 527s, more money was apparently spent against Bush than for him. So the results cannot be dismissed as an accident. We are now a 51 percent nation, a Republican majority, as, once again in America, love has proved stronger than hate."

. . . and history once again proves that when leaders act, the wisdom of representative democracy rewards them with responsibility they never considered "something to be grasped."


Michael Barone's column is here

Madison on Federalism

In light of the recent election, it is important to keep our intellectual bearings by reminding ourselves of the original intent of the constitution.

"The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite."

--James Madison,
Federalist No. 45

The Federalist Patriot provides these quotes dialy with their Founders' Quote Daily.

Dave Barry on the Recent Election

Dave Barry has a humorous take on the election worth reading.

Mars lawyers, dead voters -- beat goes on: "On a brighter note, the voting seemed to go fairly smoothly here in Florida. This was a concern because of the way we screwed up the last election by casting thousands upon thousands of mutant ballots on which we apparently selected nobody for president, or two people for president, or Millard Fillmore for president, etc.

But this time it went pretty well. Where I voted, in Miami-Dade County, there was a longish line, but it moved steadily, with the dead voters being dragged forward by helpful poll workers."

Bush Election Will Spawn Tremendous Economic Growth

Current job growth was outstanding last month and more people are beginning to seek employment.

"A surprisingly strong 337,000 jobs were added to payrolls last month -- twice the 169,000-job growth that Wall Street economists had forecast and the strongest since March when 353,000 jobs were created, the Labor Department said.

Still, the unemployment rate edged up to 5.5 percent from 5.4 percent in September, but that was because more people joined the search for employment, a potentially hopeful sign. "

This is great news for the Bush administration. And comparing this trend with a roughly 500 point growth in the NYSE since the middle of October, we're likely in for an excellent 2005 . . . especially with substantive tax reform on the legislative agenda.

Here's the story

Our Founders on Welfare

The Federalist Patriot provides these quotes dialy with their Founders' Quote Daily. Here's today's.

"Repeal that [welfare] law, and you will soon see a change in
their manners. ... Six days shalt thou labor, though one of
the old commandments long treated as out of date, will again be
looked upon as a respectable precept; industry will increase,
and with it plenty among the lower people; their circumstances
will mend, and more will be done for their happiness by inuring
them to provide for themselves, than could be done by dividing
all your estates among them."

--Benjamin Franklin

The County Map Says it All

It's amazing how the Red and blue states change when you go to the county level. Kudos to Captain's Quarters.


The updated map changes as results come in at USA Today's website.

MORE THOUGHTS: The blue counties, as expected, are largely in urban areas. But notice in the southern part of Texas and in the Southwest that counties with heave Hispanic populations are also going for Kerry. The RNC had better keep this in mind for 2006 when the battle for the Congres will take place in many of these areas.

Will Reid Promotion Help Pro-Life Agenda?

Sen. Harry Reid, D-NV, is set to take the Minority Leader position:

"With current Senate Minority Whip Harry Reid (search) of Nevada set to win the top Democratic spot in the 109th Congress now that leader Tom Daschle (search) has lost his re-election bid, the door is open to fill the spot being vacated by Reid.

On Wednesday, Reid announced his intention to assume the role currently held by Daschle, who lost his bid to reclaim the Senate seat from South Dakota. Republican Rep. Jim Thune (search) will now represent the state."

Reid has a generally pro-life record as a Senator. It could be speculated that he would help pro-life legislation and court appointments as Minority Leader. Other pro-life Democrat leaders in state legislatures have been helpful to pro-life causes, but in some cases the pro-life voting record did not translate to smoothing out the path for introuduction of legislation when a pro-life Democrat rises to leadership.

It's an interesting twist to the results of Tuesday's election. With a national mandate to pay attention to moral values issues, this may give Reid cover to further pro-life legislation. Durbin and Dorgan will be running for Reid's soon to be vacated Whip position, and they are hostile to pro-life issues.

We'll have to wait and see how this all pans out.

FOXNews.com - Reid Promotion Opens Another Dem Spot

Blair: Time to Follow Bush's Lead

"LONDON (AP) - Prime Minister Tony Blair tried to bridge the trans-Atlantic rift over Iraq, urging a 'fractured, divided and uncertain' world to unite in the wake of President Bush's election victory.

'. . .We must be relentless in our war against terrorism and in resolving the conditions and causes on which the terrorists prey,' Blair said. 'We should work with President Bush on this agenda. It is one which all nations of goodwill would surely agree.'"

The Mandate expands.

Here's the link.

Yesterday's Hugs and Kisses Are Gone

Ahhhh..........the memories of bi-partisanship 

The moral values block of voters changed the face of American politics last night adding

"Gay rights activists received a rebuke from the Deep South to North Dakota as voters in 11 states approved constitutional amendments to ban same-sex marriage in a clean sweep for proponents of traditional one-man, one-woman unions.

'The results just go to show that the citizens ... clearly understand the value of natural marriage,' said Christina Rondeau, director of the North Dakota Family Alliance, a group that supported the amendment.

The margin Tuesday in North Dakota was 3-1 in favor - the same as in Georgia and Kentucky as the proposal passed in all 11 states where it was on the ballot. The margin was 6-1 in Mississippi, while the amendment was also approved in Arkansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Montana, Ohio, Oklahoma and Utah.

The issue was put on the ballot in six states through petition drives waged by conservative, church-backed citizens groups. But support of the amendment appeared widespread; in Ohio, it received equal support from men and women, blacks and whites.

Gay-rights activists quickly raised the possibility of court challenges in Georgia, Ohio and Mississippi, although supporters predicted the new laws would hold up."

Here's a link to the story.

Democrat Pollster Calls it for Bush

Democrat pollster Mark Mellman is calling this race for Bush.

I’ve been assessing President Bush’s vulnerability, but win or lose, it is important to acknowledge the daunting challenge Sen. John Kerry faces.
Republicans have been spinning this fact for months and they are right.

First, we simply do not defeat an incumbent president in wartime. After wars surely, but never in their midst. Republicans have been spinning this fact for months, and they are correct.

Democrats have spoken often and powerfully about the nation’s economic problems. But by historical standards, they are not that bad. The “misery index” is 7.8 today but was 20.5 when Jimmy Carter was defeated. Economic models of elections show Bush winning 52-58 percent of the vote.

Internet Traffic Explodes for Election Coverage

Check out the North America Internet Traffic Report. Millions are watching results online.

Great Cartoon. Gary Varvel is one of the best political cartoonists in the country. 

Kerry People Worried About Oregon

The Kerry Spot on National Review Online: "IS TEAM KERRY WORRIED ABOUT OREGON?

From DJ Drummond at PoliPundit:

Kerry people are stressed, too.

A guy at my office works the phones for the Kerry Northwest campaign (Washington, Oregon, etc.).

Their people are freaking out over exit polls indicating Kerry tied or losing in Oregon.

Plenty of pressure for everyone.

UPDATE: A Kerry Spot reader asks, 'Oregon voters mail in their ballots, so where, exactly, are these polled voters exiting from?' I understand today is the last day to turn in ballots or postmark them. Could Team Kerry have seen something ominous in the early voting?"

DRUDGE: Schwarzkopf Calls on DNC to Stop Fraudulent Calls

Matt Drudge is reporting that Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf (Ret.) is telling the DNC to stop phone calls which are being sent telling voters that he has endorsed John Kerry.

"The Democratic National Committee is making fraudulent phone calls claiming that I have endorsed Senator Kerry. Nothing could be further from the truth, and I demand that they stop immediately."

DRUDGE REPORT story is here.

Awesome!

This is a link to an excellent rendition of Johnny Cash's "When the Man Comes Around" tied to a post 9/11 theme.

Thanks to Confessions of a Political Junkie for sharing.

Check Out The Election Day Toast-O-Meter

Here is the Election DayToast-O-Meter.

Check it Out.

Daschle Lawyer Kicked out of Polling Place

Daschle v. Thune: Report from Standing Rock: "At the McLaughlin Community Center on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, a Daschle operative (a male lawyer in his 50s) has taken over part of the election table and is interfering with the election workers' duties in violation of SDCL 12-18-3, 9.1 (9.2 gives authority to have the person removed and arrested). The election worker feels intimidated by the Daschle operative and feels that the man is interfering with the process. When told this was illegal, he responded 'F--k you, do something about it.' These sorts of reports are coming in regularly. It's a nice summary of the Daschle campaign's attitude toward the election process.

UPDATE: The auditor has just sent the sheriff out to the polling location."

No Reason to Fear

Hugh Hewitt gives this take on the early exit polling:

"Bad news that became good news: Drudge posted a 'Kerry's up in early exit poll data,' and then we discover the 'sample' for those numbers was 59-41% female/male. Which means that Bush is up in early exit polling when you factor in the huge male gender gap. But what it really means is that these are nonsense numbers.

What's not nonsense: Jeb's organization is running very smoothly and will continue to do so until the Panhandle precincts shut down. It is neck and neck in Ohio and Wisconsin, but Bush seems comfortably ahead in Iowa. I just called my nephew to assure myself that my brother and sister-in-law have voted in good old Warren, Ohio, and he's now off to GOTV his aunts and uncles. You do the same. A phone call now is a lot easier than five weeks of provisionals in the Buckeye State. Belive me --December in Ohio would not be as much fun as it was in Florida, 2000. MSM should know that the hotels aren't on the water, and the Browns are sold out.

Second-hand from the Bush-Cheney bigs: Closer than they'd have liked, but the president will win. Today's undecideds breaking for the president."

HughHewitt.com

Hold Your Breath. Ignore the Exit Polls...

The Horserace Blog makes a very good point here:

"The raw numbers trickling out are just that...raw. Exit polling is heavily 'scrubbed' at the end of the day to account for turnout in each precinct, to account for pre-existing demographic sensibilities (i.e. samples are re-jiggered for sex, race, income, etc). These raw numbers obviously cannot be scrubbed in this matter. This means that the MOE is so high for Bush and Kerry that they are basically useless. What's more...you don't know what kind of data out there is reliable or not -- it is all rumour and innuendo.

I know you are all desperate for information, but this is not what you are looking for. Please no posting of exit polling data on this site."

Hang in there..........this thing is going to go well for Bush. The media is making every attempt they can to support Kerry. That's all that is going on at this early stage of the day.

WI: Republican GOTV Van Tires Slashed

Here's what's happening out there. Dems are strong armed in their attempts to thwart Bush/Cheney GOTV efforts.

JS Online: Weblog: "TUESDAY, Nov. 2, 2004, 12:44 p.m.
Tire slash flash

Milwaukee police said just after noon today that they have a suspect description in the case of the GOP tire slashing. A private security guard reported a man running from where the tires were slashed, said Police Sgt. Ken Harris.

The guard reported seeing a white male, 18 to 25 years old, between 5-feet-6 to 5-feet-9 tall and about 170 pounds, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and dark jeans, running from the Republican offices around 6:45 a.m., Harris said. Milwaukee police detectives typically would not investigate a case of slashed tires but were put on the case given the potential political overtones of this crime, Harris said.

'Because there is a chance it might have been politically motivated, we are making every effort to bring this case to a swift conclusion,' Harris told JS reporter John Diedrich. "

UPDATE: Confessions of a Political Junkie and Power Line are reporting the same thing.

My Prediction

I've poured over the polls and thought through the trends. Like anyone else, I don't know exactly what's going to happen today. But I believe the results are becoming clear. Bush's linear trends are moving up in 37 states in polling from June until now. I all those 37 states, his trend has remained up or steady since 2 months ago. Kerry is trending up in only 17 states by my calculation. And most of those correlate with the Bush uptrend in the same state.:

If you would like a complete analysis in Excel format email me and I'll be glad to send it to you.

Bush: 300, 50.3%
Kerry: 235, 49.0%
Nader: 0.8%

States Bush: AL, AK, AZ AR, CO, FL, GA, HI, ID, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA,, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NM, NC, ND, OH, OK, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WV, WY

States Kerry: CA, CE, DE, IL, ME, MD, MA, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OR, PA, RI, VT, WA, WI

My analysis is based on 50% of undecideds breaking for Bush(most polls are showing above 55% undecided for Bush).

Here's the Electoral Map I come up with.

Pink: States I predict go to Bush with a margin of 5% or less
Red: States solidly in the Bush Column
Dark Blue: States Solidly going to Kerry
Medium Blue: States I predict go to Kerry with margin of 5% or less
Light Pink: States barely going to Bush
Light Blue: States barely going to Kerry

The last two categories are states which I predict go to the respective candidate based on my best intuitive, subjective knowledge. Who knows. I think MI, NH and PA can easily go to Bush. I just can't make the call. I am probably just unwilling to give up FL because the news from there is not encouraging lately. But the reporting of Early Voter turnout has primarily come from areas where ballot questions happened in 2000. Therefore, I think the information is biased against any positive news for the Bush campaign down there. Ralph Reed is running the Southeast for Bush/Cheney, so I think they have some good things happening we have not yet heard of.


Here is my Electoral Vote map projection 

There are four states which could go either way: OH, FL, PA, NH. I believe these are the only states in play. I feel confident OH and FL are going to Bush. If NH or NJ goes with him, we will be going to sleep at about 10:30pm EST. If not and if PA isn't close, it'll be a late night.

George Washington on National Alliances

Our Founding Fathers truly did have great wisdom to pass down to us. When we consider how we interact with nations, this is a good bit of advice to keep in mind.

"'Tis folly in one Nation to look for disinterested favors from
another; that it must pay with a portion of its Independence
for whatever it may accept under that character; that by such
acceptance, it may place itself in the condition of having given
equivalents for nominal favours and yet of being reproached
with ingratitude for not giving more. There can be no greater
error than to expect, or calculate upon real favours from Nation
to Nation. 'Tis an illusion which experience must cure, which
a just pride ought to discard."
--George Washington

Bin Laden's Tacit Endorsement of Kerry

I know, I know: I'm supposed to believe that the real reason we have a terror problem is because of Bush aggression against Iraq. I'm not supposed to belive that John Kerry's statements against the war ("wrong war, wrong place, wrong time") have done anything to make us look weak in the world community or encouraged terrorists to try to divide and destroy our country. I'm also supposed to believe that Iraq was never a nexus of terror in the world. But when I read stories like the one below, I can't help but think John Kerry foolishly leads the terrorists on.

"New York Post. November 1, 2004 -- WASHINGTON - Osama bin Laden warned in his October Surprise video that he will be closely monitoring the state-by-state election returns in tomorrow's presidential race and will spare any state that votes against President Bush from being attacked, according to a new analysis of his statement.

The respected Middle East Media Research Institute, which monitors and translates Arabic media and Internet sites, said initial translations of a key portion of bin Laden's video rant to the American people Friday night missed an ostentatious bid by the Saudi-born terror master to divide American voters and tilt the election towards Democratic challenger John Kerry.
MEMRI said radical Islamist commentators monitored over the Internet this past weekend also interpreted the key passage of bin Laden's diatribe to mean that any U.S. state that votes to elect Bush on Tuesday will be considered an 'enemy' and any state that votes for Kerry has 'chosen to make peace with us.'

The statement in question is when bin Laden said on the tape: 'Your security is up to you, and any state that does not toy with our security automatically guarantees its own security."

Not that he takes personal pleasure in it--I absolutely reject any statement to that effect. But when Kerry takes political advantage of the OBL tape like he did on Friday, one questions the extent to which his lack of patriotism as expressed in the early 70's and his anti-war voting record in Congress clouds his understanding of the dangers in our world.

Political and social division in our country is now and always has been the unintended consequence of self-aggrandizement. Not only are the ends unintended but the instigator of those ends can come from places not expected. Thankfully in this case, the American People will not put up with such petty terrorist statements. This will accrue to Bush's benefit not because of Kerry, but because of our heart as a people.

Here's the full story


UPDATE: Captain's Quarters Blog and Power Line have revealed that John Kerry has called Moqtada al-Sadr a "legitimate voice" in Iraqi politics. The political calculation of Kerry is shameless. He is not showing himself to be a leader. He is showing that his only desire is for power at any cost. And whether he intends it or not, that cost will be more American lives on American soil if he succeeds on Tuesday.


MORE UPDATES: INDC Journal Provides more evidence of Kerry's misunderstanding or neglect of the terror situation in the world.

Are you prepared to let Iran go nuclear?

"We have only one lesson: the lesson of Jihad and martyrdom. So, Dick Cheney, we will uproot the Anglo-Saxon race. This is retaliation. I will say this only once: we have 2 million Iranians there (in the US). You can be sure that I will recruit from among them guerillas against you. If 11 people succeeded in causing September 11, is it not clear that we are capable of acting? We don't need nuclear weapons. You have 6,000 warheads on your soil. Those 6,000 warheads are the target of our plans.
...
We've prepared plans concerning America's achille's heel and their weakness. We have identified all of their weaknesses on land, in the air, by sea.
...
We have organized a department that will take care of England. England's demise is on our agenda."

Do you comprehend the stakes?

I think we do Bill. Kerry is showing us in the last few days all by himself the reasons Bush and Republicans have been saying he is both ignorant and negligent of the terror problem around the world. Hopefully voters will see these examples clearly in these last hours before the polls close.

Kerry Calls al-Sadr a 'Legitimate Voice'

Captain's Quarters reports an amazing statement by John Kerry on NPR today:

"John Kerry continues his quest towards self-destruction today in an NPR interview this morning, as he described a radical Islamist currently attacking American troops in Iraq as a 'legitimate voice' who shouldn't necessarily be arrested if encountered:

In an interview broadcast Wednesday morning, Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry defended terrorist Shiite imam Moqtada al-Sadr as a 'legitimate voice' in Iraq, despite that fact that he's led an uprising that has killed nearly 20 American GIs in the last two days.

Speaking of al-Sadr's newspaper, which was shut down by coalition forces last week after it urged violence against U.S. troops, Kerry complained to National Public Radio, 'They shut a newspaper that belongs to a legitimate voice in Iraq.'

Never mind that this 'legitimate voice' used that newspaper to call for an armed revolt against the Coalition and the Iraqi provisional government. John Kerry isn't concerned with that. John Kerry sounds more concerned with Moqtada al-Sadr's ability to express himself than he is with the lives of American soldiers, even as al-Sadr and his gang of thugs are killing Marines at this very moment."

Well stated..............great reporting!


Power Line has more on the subject as well.