Wednesday, January 28, 2009

The Unclenched Fist

During his inaugural address President Obama vowed to extend a hand to the nation of Iran if it would unclench its fist.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is holding the new leader of the free world to his promise.

Ahmadinejad demands that the United States drastically downsize its military presence by withdrawing troops from abroad and the dictator requests an apology for American "crimes against Tehran".

All Americans, liberal and conservative, seek world peace.

There is an almost universal agreement that the American image needs a great deal of polishing.

In ancient times, a Roman citizen could wander the entire scope of the known world unharmed because he was a citizen of Rome. The wrath of Rome was so great and the reputation so respected that foreigners extended every courtesy to a Roman.

American citizens are not fortunate enough to share that same privilege.

There are real threats growing everyday against those who believe in liberty and freedom.

Iran is the quintessential adversary of democracy. This is a nation committed to the utter destruction of Israel, perhaps the entire Western world as well, and the suppression of individual rights.

But President Obama is willing to have a friendly chat with Ahmadinejad.

There is no negotiation with Islamic fundamentalists. That point was made abundantly clear more than seven years ago.

Ahmadinejad is an extremist, and President Obama will only legitimize the tyrant's claims if he meets with him.

I agree with the new president's efforts to forge new alliances and mend friendships.

But unlike the liberals who are willing to negotiate away our great nation, conservatives are committed to securing America's continued position as the last remaining superpower in the world.

We are the last defenders of democracy; the champions of liberty.

Dirty Harry

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) is notorious for his "back room politicking" and corrupt dealmaking shenanigans.

His contemptible antics are on display again with his recent attempts to seat the comedian Al Franken.

As the entire country anxiously watches the judicial process unfold in Minnesota, Harry Reid is trying to bypass the law so he can inch closer to a liberal super majority in the Senate.

The Constitution of Minnesota clearly states that no Senator shall be allowed to take his seat while there is a legal challenge to the election results.

Franken, being a comic, is apparently unfamiliar with Constitutional law.

Senator Coleman was declared the winner on three separate occasions and Franken's cronies took the matter to court. Thousands of ballots were challenged and miraculously the Democrat Party emerged victorious.

Now they will not extend that same right to the GOP. Senator Coleman's lawyers have called the validity of thousands of ballots into question but Franken appears unscathed; measuring the drapes in his new Beltway office.

Coleman is now waging the battle on two fronts: Within the court of law and the court of public opinion. He is taking to the airwaves to share his story with the nation. He is attempting to expose Dirty Harry for the corrupt politico that he is.

This will continue to unfold over the coming weeks but Republicans and all those who favor the democratic process must not allow the left to hijack an election.

We must remain vigilant and optimistic against Al Franken; an unqualified radical who has made no secret of his liberal agenda.

In Senator Coleman's own words: "I will win".

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Gitmo

President Obama has signed an executive order that will close the Guantanamo Bay detention camp (Gitmo) within one year.

245 suspected terrorists currently reside at the prison, and now the new administration will have two options: Bring them to facilities in America or release them.

Since 2001 this nation has been at war. Military tribunals and interrogating prisoners who may posses information which could save American lives are vital during such times.

President Obama believes the camp to be unconstitutional: but since when does the United States Constitution apply to enemy combatants?

I hardly believe James Madison had al-qaeda or the Taliban in mind when he was drawing up the Bill of Rights.

European powers have long been opposed to Gitmo's operating procedures. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has been especially critical. President Obama has made it clear today that his allies in Europe are more important to him than securing the homeland.

I wonder if that Ivy League education of his included any world history classes. I doubt it was in the curriculum for if it had been, Obama should have known not to take the advice of a country who conducted appeasement with Adolf Hitler for three years.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

An Uncertain Tomorrow

President Obama's speech, hailed by the left as a pragmatic address, has finally come under scrutiny for some of the terminology used.

As I wrote yesterday, he offered up a bleak American future. Accompanying his ominous tone, he warned the American people of "sacrifices" and "unpleasant decisions ahead".

The Politico website is addressing this issue and have gathered the opinions of a wide variety of experts- ranging from liberal academics all the way to the über conservative president of Americans for Tax Reform.

I will paraphrase some of their analysis of just what "sacrifices" our new commander-in-chief had in mind.

Dr. Calabresi, a law professor at Northwestern University, has two ideas of sacrifice: Raising the age in which an individual becomes eligible for social security benefits and a tax increase to allow for public education to compete with the ever growing private institutions.

Ross Baker, a political scientist at Rutgers, believes now is the perfect time to increase federal tax on gasoline.

Joel Kotkin, an author, says the government must "...Extract much more from the super-affluent".

Gary Clyde Hufbauer, an economist at the Peterson Institution, believes the federal government should start regulating the pay of CEOs from the private sector. He is a fervent supporter of capping salaries at a number determined by the federal government.

Do you see a recurring theme folks?

The bottom line is that you will be taking home less money at the end of the week so the liberal Democrat Party can fund the most massive expansion of the federal government since FDR's New Deal.

But I will give the final word to Grover Norquist, president of the Americans for Tax Reform. I am currently reading his book which is a compelling read for any conservative, Leave Us Alone: Getting the Government's Hands Off Our Money, Our Guns, Our Lives.

Of the "sacrifices" and "unpleasant decisions" to which President Obama was referring, Mr. Norquist boldly counters:

"When Reid, Pelosi and Obama refer to 'sacrifice' they mean taxpayers and consumers are going to have to pay dearly in tribute to the new trial lawyer, union boss, big city machine ruling class."

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Caution: Rough Road Ahead

At this time, President Obama and his wife are in the process of attending the plethora of inaugural balls listed on his schedule.

He has been the leader of the free world for more than eight hours now; but the ceremony is drawing mixed reviews from critics and supporters.

After botching his oath of office, (I told you folks: take the teleprompter away and not much remains) he proceeded to give a morose, dejected and somber address.

He painted an unflattering portrait of America, making numerous references to "raging storms" and "rough times ahead". He also bashed President Bush; seated a mere few feet away.

Where was this notion of "Hope" we heard so much about over the course of the last two years? Where was the bright-eyed optimism in American ingenuity and its people's pursuit of happiness?

Where was Ronald Reagan's "It's morning, again, in America"?

In addition to Obama's lackluster speech, the poet he selected was able to present yet another version of a bleak American future read in complete monotone and Joseph Lowery, chosen by Obama to deliver the convocation, managed to paint all whites as stubborn racists.

Indeed, the brightest moment of the day came from Ms. Aretha Franklin's rendition of "My Country Tis of Thee".

That kind of uplifting rhetoric seemed sorely out of place at today's ceremony.

If this day is any indication of what is to come from an Obama administration, the American people should brace themselves for a desolate future.

Job Well Done

In roughly twelve hours President-elect Obama will be sworn in as our nation's 44th commander-in-chief.

It will be a historic moment and we will witness a tradition that goes back to our nation's roots: the transition of power from one president to his successor.

Ideally, we should be putting politics aside tomorrow so we can savor the moment and marvel in the genius of American democracy. But rest assured, the Beltway will be as toxic as ever.

Fueled by the media's onslaught of attacks, President Bush's critics will not be granting him a reprieve in his final hours. His legacy will be challenged by his opponents and his record scrutinized until the last moment.

This country owes a debt of gratitude to President Bush; a man who stood up for freedom and democracy before the ash had even cooled at Ground Zero.

His initiatives on the African continent, which were drastically unreported in America, resulted in millions of saved lives and massive improvement in the overall quality of life for the people.

A tyrannical dictator who advocated segregation, hatred and even murder was removed from power. The corrupt and villainous Taliban was disbanded and women were granted new freedoms. And at this very minute, brave members of the Armed Forces continue to fight for the principles of liberty in an area of the world far too familiar with oppression.

When President Bush becomes citizen Bush, I hope he exits his former residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue knowing that there is a large presence in this country, what Nixon might call the "Silent Majority", who thank Mr. Bush for his service to this nation.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

A New Year

The break is over and now it is time to get back to the business of defending America from the impending liberal agenda being set forth by President-elect Obama.

At this moment, Senator Clinton is undergoing her confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, being chaired by the freshly botoxed John Kerry.

The proceedings have become laughable, with senators lobbing softball questions and continuously praising her husband's "Clinton Initiative". Virtually no hypothetical questions have been raised and arguably the most dangerous threat- a nuclear Iran- has rarely been mentioned.

Does anyone remember the hell that Secretary Rice was put through four years ago? Rice of course being a woman far more qualified for the position than Mrs. Bill Clinton.

Kerry must have recognized the absurdity of labeling this liberal lovefest as a legitimate "hearing", when he pointed out to members of the press that "...extensive questioning has already occurred in private session".

This is the liberal modus operandi: conduct as much business as possible behind closed doors, out of the public's eye.

Get used to this level of deceitfulness folks and do not expect members of the media to challenge the legality of such tactics.