CatHouse Chat

Ralph Northham, your callous depravity is astounding

Yeah, I know I haven't been posting - but the Democratic (I mean, "DemonRATic") Party candidate for [EDIT2: Yeah, I HATE it when I skip my third editorial scan before I post! Northam is running for LIEUTENANT Gov. *grf* Missing a darned "Lt." and I didn't catch it. Grrrrs@self] Governor in Virginia seems to have set a new nadir for campaigning.

Watch this:

 

Oh. My. GAWD!!!! I cannot believe this moron is running on "4 out of 10 unplanned pregnancies end in termination - but that's okay"....

Really? It's "OK"?? It's "OK" that babies are "terminated"? It's "OK" that they're killed before they might have a difficult life? It's "OK"?!

However, it's "cruelty" to insist that a woman have an ultrasound and have the abortion procedure completely explained BEFORE she chooses to abort, because she shouldn't be guilted into parenthood??? THAT'S "cruel"????

[EDIT: I should add that this point is particularly hypocritical for Northam. After all, the DemonRATs are all about "empowering" women, right? Well, what could be more empowering than making sure that women have ALL the information they need to make an informed, intelligent decision? But, no! DemonRATs are really all for making sure women are "empowered" only so long as women fall in line and vapidly follow all the directives/actions/opinions hand fed to them by their liberal overlords. Yeah, now there's real empowerment for you!! Dear God in Heaven, I do fear deeply for this country. /EDIT]

Northam and his crew ought to be horsewhipped for this disgusting, amoral, selfish, and depraved view of pregnancy and the unborn - and that's "OK," because I'm truly not sure whether or not these guys have any shred of their God-given conscience left, much less any morals.

This country has a government that as designed to be run by moral people serving moral citizens. Northam ain't it.

Thanks (I think?) to Shaun Kenney over at Bearing Drift.

Uranium mining issue plagued by myths and misconceptions

Lt. Gov. Bolling swung though Pittsylvania County on Friday, 14 December, to announce his opposition to lifting the "ban" on uranium mining at the Cole's Hill property. Sadly, he seems to be more concerned with the myths and fears surrounding uranium than he is in the facts:

...even though two well respected organizations have completed reviews of the efficacy of removing the ban on uranium mining and milling, I believe there are still too many unanswered questions regarding the potential impact that an incident at the mine might have on the environment and, subsequently, citizens in Southern Virginia and beyond.  Given these legitimate environmental concerns, I believe the ban on uranium mining should remain in place.

It's quite sad that he still has questions, because Virginia Uranium was available and willing to answer him:

In a statement, Virginia Uranium complained that Bolling has refused its invitation to tour the so-called Coles Hill site of the uranium deposit and attempts to brief him on the scientific and technical aspects of its mining and milling plan.

"We took Lt. Gov. Bolling at his word when he claimed to support the expansion of Virginia's nuclear power sector and an 'all of the above' approach to energy policy," Patrick Wales, the company's project manager, said in a statement. He added that Bolling is "clearly pursuing a 'some of the above' energy policy that is the antithesis of free enterprise and free markets."

While this doesn't really surprise me, considering Bolling's political implosion over the past few weeks, I do find it very irritating that Bolling seems willing to sacrifice the economy of Pittsylvania to draw some thin support for the sinking possibility of a "possible" independent  run for Governor.

Sadly, as Jim Hoeft notes over on Bearing Drift, this also indicates an incredible lack of leadership, as well as quite a bit of hypocrisy on Bolling's part. The website for his gubenatorial run (and here's a screenshot, in case the site is taken down) clearly states Bolling's support of nuclear energy:

Governor McDonnell and Lieutenant Governor Bolling believe in an “all of the above“ approach to energy policy. They strongly support the expansion of traditional forms of energy, such as coal, natural gas and nuclear power; but they also support expanding renewable forms of energy in Virginia, such as wind, solar and biofuels.

Well, Mr. Bolling, nuclear energy requires fuel - and at the moment, we IMPORT most of the fuel for our nuclear energy plants. Many of the countries which supply uranium have governments which are unstable or hostile to the United States, which would, of course, jeopardize our supply if something untoward should happen to these governments. Have we not had - do we not continue to have - for this reason, the debate about using our own resources for oil and gas?

The National Academy of Science report (summary downloadable as a .pdf here, full report available here) is one of the reviews to which Bolling referred. The report is quite dense, and neither I nor Mr. Bolling are qualified scientists on this subject, so let's see what one of the panel's members has to say in summary.

Dr. Corby G. Anderson was a member of the NAS panel which wrote the report, and his op/ed in the Richmond Times-Dispatch on 09 September has this to say:

Virginia legislators and residents should keep in mind that much of the NAS report focused on the impacts of uranium-mining practices dating back to the 1950s, '60s and '70s, long before any of today's strict regulations were put in place or modern industry practices were adopted.

Fifty years ago, we had neither the technology nor the understanding about the effects of radiation to mine uranium safely. That is not the case today. The NAS report affirms that and provides a "starting point" for Virginia by identifying internationally accepted best practices and regulatory standards for uranium mining.

Uranium is mined safely with minimal environmental impacts throughout the world. Studies conducted by leading epidemiologists demonstrate that today's uranium workers and the public living near modern uranium mines are as healthy as the general population.

Consider that about one-fifth of the world's uranium is mined in nearby Canada, largely in Saskatchewan. Since a government study panel concluded in the 1990s that the environmental impacts of uranium mining could be minimized, the Saskatchewan government has fully embraced the industry and still boasts an enviable record of environmental stewardship.

Today the uranium-mining industry there supports thousands of high-paying jobs and is rigorously regulated by the provincial and federal governments. Virginia would be well served to draw upon the Saskatchewan experience. [emph. mine]

Dr. Anderson rightly reminds us in this op/ed that he is speaking as a private citizen, and not as a representative from the NAS panel, but is remarks should be taken seriously. Technology has made tremendous strides since the moratorium on uranium mining, and the NAS report, while carefully examining the problems associated with uranium mining and acknowledging the difficulties associated with it, mainly concludes that is can be done - assuming proper regulation and oversight is in place.

(As an aside, please remember that "ban" is actually incorrect, while "moratorium" is more accurate. The relevant portion of the Virginia code states

§ 45.1-283. Uranium mining permit applications; when accepted; uranium mining deemed to have significant effect on surface.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, permit applications for uranium mining shall not be accepted by any agency of the Commonwealth prior to July 1, 1984, and until a program for permitting uranium mining is established by statute. For the purpose of construing § 45.1-180 (a), uranium mining shall be deemed to have a significant effect on the surface. [emph added]

So there is no "ban," as such; rather, no mining may be done until proper statutes are drawn up for regulating uranium mining.)

I have met with several people at Virginia Uranium; they all seem quite above-board and truly interested in the economic health and future of Pittsylvania County. Now, certainly I can be fooled - we can all be fooled at one time or another - but if these men and women are truly the nefarious reprobates intent on destroying the culture and environment of our county (as the anti-uranium folks are wont to picture them), then why are they all so willing and eager to be subject to the regulations Virginia would have to enact? Why are they so willing to dig in and hold on to their ownership, when it would be far easier to sell out and let one of the big companies shoulder the headaches that crafting, editing, and passing the regulations - and then the whole, nightmareish process of actually getting permitted under those regulations! - entails?

Heck, if it were me, I'd be sitting on a beach somewhere, sipping mai tais rather than attempting to inform people of the FACTS about uranium and slamming my head against the brick wall of people who just don't care about facts!

One of the most common myths I've heard promulgated is that, appaerntly, Virginia has a climate that is wet with lots of rainfall, and is thus utterly unique in all the world, so mining couldn't possibly be done safely here. (Yeah, tell that to the farmers who are currently lacking about 16 inches of rainfall this year...)

Uh-huh. Well, it seems to me that Canadian mines seem to be doing quite well. Rabbit Lake (Cameco) is practically surrounded by water, plus it has to deal with snow and snowmelt far greater than anything we'll ever see (oh, and it's won several safety trophies, too!). Or take a look at AREVA's operations in France (which, by the way, is not at all an arid country). Cleanup and proper shut down of old mines is extremely important in protecting the environment, of course. Note that AREVA is very concerned with complying with regulations set up by the French government!

Oh, did you mean that Virginia has no experience with this "wet climate" mining? How about I refer you back to Dr. Anderson?

The report emphasized the effectiveness of runoff and wastewater collection systems, as well as buffer zones and groundwater monitoring wells surrounding the site to detect the slightest elevations in contaminant levels and prevent contaminated water from escaping the site.

Virginia does not have to reinvent the wheel when it comes to uranium mining and milling. It can draw from the international best practices reported in the NAS study as well as borrow from effective regulatory regimes established in other states and countries.

We do not live in a vacuum, people. We do not live in the 1970's or 80's. We live in 2012 (soon to be 2013), and in an area where we have the chance to help supply America's energy needs. We have a chance to be part of it - and whether we go ahead and use this resource or not, let's make the decision with our brains and not our emotions!

The second report Bolling may have referred to could have been either the Chmura report or the George Mason study (links go to .pdfs). The summary at the beginning of the GM study (pp. 2-5) reviewed the circumstances of Pittsylvania County and also examined the impact of existing mines in communities in Texas, Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming. It concluded:

• The fiscal impact analysis of the proposed mine and mill on Pittsylvania County found a substantial net fiscal benefit for the County.
• The regional housing market analysis found that economic and demographic factors have the greatest impact on housing sales and values with recent housing trends showing gains from the 2008-09 recession.
• Spending from the uranium mine and mill construction and operation would also be expected to increase demand for housing in the County.
• The analysis of how uranium operations have affected the economies of other counties have found that uranium has had a positive economic impact on these communities with no effect on business attraction and retention.
• The business climate analysis concluded that recent gains in the housing market and multiple business attraction successes indicate that the proposed mine and mill do not create a stigma that negatively impacts the County's economy.

When looking at other communities and reviewing recent changes in the housing and business sectors, the George Mason report indicates that this would be a definite positive for Pittsylvania. I would suggest you download the report and at least read the four page summary at the beginning.

A look at the Chmura report's summary will quickly demonstrate that, while it appears to have a more cautious view of the possible socioeconomic stigmas many citizens are concerned about, overall the mine will have a positive impact on the county. Of the four scenarios Chumra looks at, only one - the one where current federal standards on uranium mining are not met - has no positive impact at all.

Chmura is also quite blunt about the fact that the local community is very skeptical about whether federal or state regulation would, in fact, be able to keep the mine operating within safe environmental standards. The report puts forth a suggestion

... that several steps could be taken to mitigate some of this skepticism and bolster the public’s confidence in VUI as well as in state and federal regulatory agencies. These steps include the signing of an “Impact-Benefit Agreement” between VUI and Pittsylvania County, the establishment of permanent Environmental Quality Committees, and the utilization of “adaptive management” practices by VUI. [page 10]

You see? Yes, there are problems associated with the uranium mine - there are problems associated with any type of heavy industry like this - but they are not insurmountable. If we step back and look at the facts with our BRAINS, and do not succumb to emotional impulses based on myth and fear, uranium mining could be a positive development for us all.

America has historically been a place where people dare to do great things and reach out to better themselves and their communities. Of course we have failed at times; that's part of life. However, failure is only an opportunity to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and learn from your mistakes so you can make it succeed the next time you try.

Does uranium mining have the possibility of failure? Of course it does! However, when you step back, look at the facts, and evaluate them carefully with your intellect rather than your fears, I believe that the chances of success far outweigh the chances for failure. 

By the rivers of Babylon

I think many Republicans, conservative, and (possibly) even libertarians are only now coming out of the shock and disappointment of Tuesday's reelection of Obama. 

I know many who are looking to reevaluate and reprioritize, who are planning to do what they can to weather what is likely to be at least a decade (and possibly two or three) of aftershocks from the policies this administration will push through, either by Presidential fiat (no, I'm not going to use "executive order") or regulation, and I'm definitely one of them.

I've seen a lot of articles about "what the Republican Party needs to do now," but they are really just a rehash of four years ago when McCain/Palin lost - and they were as ineffective then as I suspect they will be now. I think the Right is just as deeply divided as America herself is (check out this article by Michael Barone in the New York Post), and the problem is not with the politics or the presentation of policies, but rather with the foundations the politics and policies rest on.

For all that 80% or so of Americans claim Christianity, for all that many of us assert a fondness and respect for Judeo-Christian principles, America is no longer a nation interested in living according to those foundations. We are no longer interested in rewarding personal responsibility, civic duty, mutual respect, true tolerance, diligence, hard work, or earned success. An entitlement attitude has trumped the work ethic, and crisis deferral has become the preferred method of dealing with problems.

Personally, I'm not planning to draw back into my shell like a hermit crab, but I'm also not going to put my heart into politics any more. I'll be involved and aware, certainly, and I'll continue to vote for the best available candidates, but I think that what this election did for me was to hammer in the fact that I'm not living in Zion any longer.

I'm living in Babylon.

This election has made me realize that I've gone down to Egypt for help, and that I've been trusting in horses and chariots, instead of God. I suspect the American church (I should say, rather, "the Church which happens to reside in America") is suffering from the same disease. And so we need to remember that we are but pilgrims in this world, and that it is not our home, it is not our Father's Kingdom.

Well. The Jews were exiled to Persia and Babylon, and eventually dispersed throughout the world - and they've remained the Jews. 

Christians lived in ancient Rome, in Corinth, and are in all the world. They, too, have lived as an unusual people, set apart to glorify God while living in a strange land.

So I need to work on revising my whole identity and begin to realize - and act out - that I'm not an American. First and foremost, I am an undeserving sinner saved by the great grace and mercy of the Sovereign Creator of the Universe, and that my allegiance is to Him above all other people, nations, causes, or desires. 

I am a child of the King - and it's time that I learned what that means.

By the rivers of Babylon,
There we sat down, yea, we wept
When we remembered Zion.
We hung our harps
Upon the willows in the midst of it.
For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song,
And those who plundered us requested mirth,
Saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

How shall we sing the Lord’s song
In a foreign land?

(Psalm 137:1-4, NKJV)

Time to learn how to live in exile, and yet still proclaim the Name and Glory of God my Savior.

 

Allen focuses on jobs - Kaine would rather play hooky

And by "play hooky," I really mean "play the race card."

Let's get a little background, here. Last week, Virginia and West Virginia got the news that quite a few coal mines - which are a big part of our economies - were going to be idled, causing the loss of around 1200 jobs. George Allen realizes how critical these jobs are to Virginia, its economy, and its citizens, and is pointing out Kaine's ties to people and agencies which are hostile to fossil fuels.

Kaine, of course, has little to stand on, as you see in this article from this Washington Post (certainly no friend of sound energy policies) article, which attempts to puff Kaine up by listing his support for alternative energy:

On the campaign trail, Kaine also boasts of having adopted the state’s first comprehensive energy plan, which sought to achieve a balance between coal, nuclear, natural gas, wind and biofuels. He reminds people that as governor, he kept an open mind on the possibility of drilling for oil off Virginia’s shore.

Kaine said he understands the historical importance of coal and its future potential as technology reduces its impact on the planet. But he is also a believer in green energy that can produce jobs such as those at a General Electric plant in Salem where 700 workers build components for wind turbines and solar arrays.

“A third of new power in this country since 2007 that’s come online has been wind power,” Kaine said during a visit to Bristol’s Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival this month.

Yeah. I really love the line about "[keeping] an open mind on the possibility of drilling for oil off Virginia's shore." Keeping an open mind is very effective in creating new jobs, opening up new areas for energy production, and moving Virginia forward as an energy-producing state (yeah, yeah, "Commonwealth," I know). Really, it is!

Funny how nothing actually happened to meet those goals... Plus, at the moment, alternative energy is quite dependant on fossil fuels - both to make various pieces-parts as well as to, you know, provide the POWER to make and assemble those parts - and is also, comparatively speaking, far more expensive than fossil fuels.

Truth to tell, folks, I would totally LOVE to get my power from solar, wind, and geothermal energy, but right now the technologies are too expensive, too inefficient, and too far out of the average person's reach for a real changeover in the next twenty years or so. Keep up the research, keep up the development, absolutely - but at this time, alternative energy powering our economy in any meaningful way is a pipe dream for people suckered in by enviro-idiots (why, hello, Solyndra!)

Anyway, so George Allen is focusing on jobs ("It's the economy, stupid!"), reining in DC's insane spending, and getting this country back on track to being the economic powerhouse we naturally should be... And Tim Kaine wants to talk alternative energies and...

... "Macaca"?!!

 Well, his AFL-CIO attack dogs want to, anyway:

Workers' Voice is putting $54,000 into web ads hitting Allen in Northern Virginia over a range of race-related controversies. One ad says Allen "hung a Confederate flag in his living room," another that he "voted against MLK Day" and another that he "kept a noose in his law office." One ad just says "Macaca."

A Workers' Voice official said the ads will focus on voters in Northern Virginia and Richmond, both union members and non-union members, and particularly African-American and Latino voters.

Democratic Senate candidate Tim Kaine and his campaign have not attacked Allen in these terms -- at least not yet. But there's no question that the Democratic strategy for winning the Virginia Senate race involves casting Allen as a throwback to an earlier, more conservative and less diverse Virginia, and racking up support among women and the minority voters who have become increasingly influential in Virginia politics.

Seriously, guys? Y'all are union people; one would think that you would be concerned that your brothers in the coal mining industry were losing jobs and asking Kaine what his jobs plan is.

That reminds me - hey, Tim Kaine, what *IS* your jobs plan?

*crickets*

How about your plan to reduce government spending and invasive regulation?

*crickets*

Ah. Well, let's make this a little easier. How about your plan to promote solid debate about issues?

*crickets*

Yeah. Thought so.

Of course, Kaine does have to support and follow his Bestest Buddy, doesn't he?

Of course, that might not be such a good thing; Kaine is on record as saying that there might be more important things to focus on than jobs.

Like this?

Additional reading:

• Washington DC-based partisan group blast Kaine on coal (nice, unbiased headling, don't you think?)
• Tim Kaine's union allies ignore jobs, focus on race card in Virginia Senate
• Dems go for the race card; Allen (and everyone else) talks coal jobs, energy independence
• Virginia Black Consevative Forum calls on Tim Kaine to repudiate ads attacking George Allen as racist

 

On Todd Akin and "legitimate" rape - and abortion (UPDATED!)

UPDATE 2: Please go reat this article at the Washington Examiner: When a horrific rape leads to an innocent life. It has a few examples of women who chose to continue a rape pregnancy AND the offspring of such a pregnancy. Key quote:

Jenni says her mother tells her that "it was a horrible thing that happened, but this was a little light in her life." A daughter to raise "gave her incentive to recover." Aborting Jenni "would have been just another trauma," her mother says.

After Akin's comments, the Republican ticket proclaimed: "A Romney-Ryan administration would not oppose abortion in instances of rape."

Kristi doesn't accept this stance. "It's important to realize that the child is punished for the sins of the father" when a child is aborted, because she was conceived by rape. "The child is innocent by all means."

The rape-and-incest exception has an emotional appeal, and it's hard to argue against it. "It usually takes seeing a person," Jenni told me. "Just looking at a person" conceived by this horrific act, "and thinking, 'what makes this person any different from any other?' "

ORIGINAL POST:

*sigh* 

It's truly frustrating and utterly heartbreaking when a Republican sticks his foot in it so badly, and then refuses to step down and let someone else - hopeifully more qualified and verbally adept - to come in and try to rescue the situation.

However, I think that there's something in the situation which hasn't been addressed. For all Akin's absurd assertion that a woman's body can reject impregnation during a "real" rape, he seems to have sidestepped the real facts that a) women DO get pregnant from rape, and b) it is just as morally wrong to abort in that situation as it is in any other - at least if you're going to be a consistant pro-life advocate.

Let me explain:

From the moment of conception (and contra what the esteemed Ann Althouse, for one, seems to say here, about 2/3 of the way through), the "fetus," "baby," "glob of cells" or whatever you choose to call it, is human. Is it a fully functioning, rational, emoting person? No, not yet... But it is certainly not going to pop out as a table, a car, a clam, a shark, a raccoon, or a monkey - biologically, it is only ever going to grow and develop into a human being. Once that first cell is created, a human comes into existence.

Now, one of the other things which pro-lifers like me also assert is that even that single cell is a human PERSON with a soul and a purpose and the God-given gift of life - a life that our Declaration declares to be one of our God-given rights. However, that point is a bit beyond the argument I want to make at this time.

Going back to the biological fact that this tenant of a woman's womb is human, it brings up ethical and legal considerations: Is it ethical to terminate innocent humans? Is it legal to kill someone because of another person's crime? To any reasonable, thinking person the answer to both those questions must be "no."

Please be aware that I understand the desire to allow abortions in cases of rape or incest. These are terrible situations of great physical, emotional, and mental stress, anguish, and pain. It is very hard - sometimes all but impossible - to navigate these tragedies and find the absolute "right" thing to do. Any way the situation is resolved will result in great sacrifice, and it takes a woman of unusual courage, strength, faith, and trust to carry through with such a pregnancy.

But, at the foundation of the crisis is this: what right does anyone have to pronounce a death sentence on a human who is completely innocent of any crime?

I am fortunate; I have never been in that situation. I pray that I never shall. I weep with those who must face this decision, and have the duty - no, the honor - to offer what support and love I can to those women who are dealing with this woeful hardship, no matter what her decision. Christians, in particular, should regard it as a blessing from God to be His physical, earthly hand of love and provision and tenderness to anyone going through the Valley of the Shadow of Death and to help them come through to the Light on the other side.

But as individuals, we should not be counseling death, but encouraging LIFE. Each of us, as individuals, is called to come alongside to give an ear to hear, a shoulder to cry on, hands to comfort. Each of us is called to help with transportation, groceries, doctors, diapers - or with the adoption process.

A woman who aborts a rape pregnancy has nothing but death to bring out of tragedy. There is no positive, no silver lining, that she can take away from the rape. These women need our love, support, and healing, too - of course! - but, oh, the thin, fragile thread we must use to help reweave her life.

God willing, a woman who chooses to give life will be able to look back and see triumph out of tragedy, blessing out of cursing, and joy out of ashes.

 UPDATE: My blog-brother, Tom White, has an excellent post that mirrors my thoughts very well. Go read!

Conservative Virginia bloggers demand revocation of Laura Vozella's press credentials to the RNC

The Honorable Pat Mullins
Chairman
Republican Party of Virginia
115 East Grace Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219

Dear Chairman Mullins,

On August 20th, 2012 the Washington Post launched a scurrilous, yet sadly typical, attack on Republican U.S. Senate nominee George Allen.

While Allen had made a statement repudiating Missouri U.S. Senate candidate Todd Akin's remarks, the Washington Post's Laura Vozzella chose to take the opportunity to attack Allen by linking him to a vote for a judicial appointment -- a connection so bizarre, it could only have come from a DSCC opposition research book, not to mention far beyond the scope of her article.

Vozzella has a long history of bashing conservatives, so naturally the Washington Post is a perfect home for her.

What strikes the bloggers and readers of the Jeffersoniad as bizarre is this: why would the Republican Party of Virginia grant this vitriolic and anti-conservative "reporter" with credentials at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida?

Bloggers have long been up front and critical about the difference between real journalism that presents perspectives and the sort of op-ed reporting the Washington Post has long engaged in against Virginia conservatives -- particularly George Allen.

Therefore, the members of the Jeffersoniad Blog Alliance demand the Republican Party of Virginia immediately revoke Laura Vozzella's credentials for the 2012 RNC Convention in Tampa, Florida as an example and a warning that while journalism will be respected, copy-and-paste hatchet jobs courtesy of the Kaine/DSCC machine can no longer be treated as journalism and is unworthy of such respect.

Regards,

Jim Hoeft
Bearing Drift

Jim Riley
Virginia Virtucon

Tom White
Virginia RIGHT!

D.J. McGuire
The Right-Wing Liberal

Trent A. Barton
Virginia Virtucon

David Shepherd
Virginia Gentleman

Lynn Mitchell
SWAC Girl

Brian Kirwin
Bearing Drift

Jeanine Martin
Virginia Virtucon

Dean Settle
The Bulletproof Monk

Kat Wilton
Cathouse Chat

Michael Fletcher
The Write Side Of My Brain

Brian Schoeneman
Bearing Drift

Krystle Weeks
Crystal Clear Conservative

Shaun Kenney
ShaunKenney.com

Steve Thomas
Virginia Virtucon

Terrence Boulden
Virginia Virtucon

 

references:

Bearing Drift - "WaPo's Laura Vozella Sure Knows How to Slant the News"

Washington Post - "George Allen criticizes Akin for ‘legitimate rape’ comments; voted to confirm judge who once held similar view"

Just because I would LOVE to see their heads explode

[source]

Because if you oppose THAT, then you're either a racist or a sexist - or both!

Let's see if the Liberal-Progressive-Nutcases are willing to subject themselves to the rules they themselves set up in 2008... My prediction? It'll be a very coooooooooold day in Hell...

Obama just scorned the Republic our Founders gave us

Well, let me distinguish between professional politicians and the public at large. The public is not paying close attention to the ins and outs of how a Treasury option goes. They shouldn’t. They're worrying about their family; they're worrying about their jobs; they're worrying about their neighborhood. They've got a lot of other things on their plate. We're paid to worry about it.

via althouse.blogspot.com

You know, our Founders were all about keeping the power in the hands of the people, the ordinary citizen.

Now Obama comes along and says, "Aw, folks, don't worry your poor li'l heads about all that nasty debt stuff. It's far too complicated for y'all, so just let me and the 'professionals' take care of it. Bless your hearts.*"

...

I am a Christian, and Christian longsuffering and self-control forbid me from saying what I REALLY think.

Bless his little ol' heart.

* - You'll only get it if, by God's grace, you live or have lived in the South.

(crossposted to Virginia Virtucon)

Thoughts on the END OF THE WORLD that, well, wasn't

It has been rather amusing - and somewhat painful - to watch all the sturm und drang that Harold Camping's prediction of the world's end on 21 May stirred up. I wasn't too surprised when the media et al. hyped it because that's what they do - and God forbid that they should bring in, you know, an actual biblical scholar or theologian to discuss the matter and provide a real, non-sensational rebuttal to Camping's non-biblical bid for attention.

So, basically, my main reaction was amusement at the gullibility of 'most everyone who opined on the matter in their quest to sensationalize a topic that is really quite serious.

Which point brings me to the painful aspect of all the hoopla: you may not believe it, but the Bible - God's Word - does speak of the end of the world. Jesus, in fact, speaks more of unsaved man's fate in Hell more than any other person in the Bible; if He spoke of it so much, simple respect for His character should make us take a look at our eternal destination and the end of the world.

Since I've written about salvation a few times on this blog but not about the end of the world (not that I recall, anyway), I thought I'd toss in a few of my own thoughts on the matter as my blog-brother, Michael, has.

Full disclosure time: while I hold to the premillennial rapture view of the end times, it is not something which I hold with a "closed hand." What I mean by that is, since

1. I have not personally done a dedicated study of end time prophecies and the history of that doctrine as held by the Christian Church, and
2. while I consider it an IMPORTANT doctrine, I don't believe it's a doctrine (generally) that is an essential of the faith (i.e., if you don't believe in the premillennial rapture view, you're not a Christian), so we should view the subject through the lens of Christian charity and liberty, and
3. several Bible teachers who I hold in great respect and honor for their diligence in the study and proclaimation of Scripture have opposing views, each with biblical reasoning that, at least, requires me to give them careful consideration, even if I don't think I agree with them, and
4. finally, remember that in any discussion, positions A, B and C (or however many), when they are in opposition, cannot ALL be right... but they CAN all be WRONG! We are still imperfect humans, and "see through a glass, darkly." We have not yet been glorified with the Son and thus do not have perfect knowledge untainted by sin. Even when we do enter Eternity to be with our Savior, there will always be things we do not - and will not - know: finite creatures such as ourselves are incapable of fully comprehending the infinite God who created us.

Due to these points, I cannot be dogmatic on what Christian view of the end times is the "right" one - except, of course, for the fact that Jesus said He would return to judge the world, condemn the unrighteous to eternal punishment, take His Church to be with Him in Eternity, and to bring a "new heaven and a new earth" in which there is no sin and no tears (see Revelation 21).

OK, so what's the big deal about the end times, then? Why did I feel saddened by all the posturing and pontificating and derision heaped up on Camping and his deluded prediction?

Simple: because Christ IS coming back! When, we don't know - but it could be before I finish this post, or it could be hundreds of years from now: we just don't know. However, God knows. He has set the year and the day and the hour and the very minute that He will bring history to an end and usher us all into eternity.

Look, folks, you don't even know if you'll be alive five seconds from now, much less what the date is for the end of the world. Yet the Bible makes clear that NOW is the time for salvation, NOW is the time to repent of sin and turn to God for forgiveness. Once you die, there will be no second chance, and your eternity is fixed. There are no second chances!

So, Christian, while we wait in anticipation of Christ's glorious Return, we should be diligent in being committed disciples of Christ. We should be earnestly working out our salvation by immersing ourselves in His Word and rooting out sin in our lives. We should be loving and nurturing our families, working to support them and training our children up in the love and admonition of our Lord. We should be gathering together as a Church family to worship and praise the One who is our Salvation and our Strength, committing ourselves to proclaiming His name to all the earth. We should be dedicated bosses and employees, working honestly and fairly at our jobs as a witness to the character of Christ and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.

We should be living lives of faithful service, forsaking indolence and foolishness, so that when our Savior returns, He will not find us idle or behaving shamefully.

Unbeliever, what about you? The End of the World™ has become rather a joke, hasn't it? I am sorry for that, but I do urge you to take a sober look at your life and at the reasonableness of the Christian faith (yeah, I know, you've been told it's all smoke and mirrors - but have you actually read any Christian apologists with any semblance of an open mind?). Christ is not narrow - "whosoever will may come" (John 3:16, naturally) and be welcomed. Christ is not a killjoy - "I have come so that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). Christ does not ask you to come to Him blindly, but to count the cost carefully.

You know, there's a famous challenge given by Blaise Pascal, known as "Pascal's Wager." It basically says that, if you are an atheist and there is no God, you have lost nothing - but if there is a God, you lose EVERYTHING. However, if you are a Christian and there is no God, again, you have lost nothing.

But if you are a Christian and there is a God, you gain EVERYTHING.

Atheist futures: either neutral annihilation or eternal loss.

Christian futures: either neutral annihilation or eternal gain.

It's a poor reason to accept Christ, but perhaps it will put your feet on the path to understanding the depths of your own sin and the infinite love, grace, and forgiveness that Christ offers with an open hand.

At Pentecost (Acts 2), Peter stands up among the people in Jerusalem and quotes the prophet Joel. In Joel 2, God calls for Israel to repent and return to Him and then promises:

And it shall come to pass afterward
That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions.
And also on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth:
Blood and fire and pillars of smoke.
The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.
And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the LORD
Shall be saved.
& For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance,
As the LORD has said,
Among the remnant whom the LORD calls.

NOW is the day of salvation; you do not know know the hour of your reckoning. NOW is the time, before it really is the End of the World.

(crossposted to Virginia Virtucon)

 

State of the Union is tonight?

Yeah, well, who really cares? It's just going to be more of teh One™ puffing himself up, blaming GWB and the Republicans for all our woes, saying that if we spend even more we'll finally dig ourselves out of this recession, encouraging us to tighten our belts and sacrifice while he and Michelle-My-Belle swan off to wherever at taxpayers' expense, and calling for a bipartisanship that he honors only in the breech.

Why should I bother to tune in for such vacuous, self-involved idiocy?

Thanks, I'm gonna get a good night's sleep instead.

Fluvanna County Board of Supervisors: Constitutional Illiterates?

My dear friend Shaun Kenney, who is a member of the Fluvanna BOS, was the sole dissenting vote - 

The owner of The Fluco Blog, a Fluvanna County-based news site, has filed a lawsuit over an ordinance limiting the use of the official Fluvanna County seal.

Bryan Rothamel is accusing the county of violating the First and 14th Amendments by adopting the ordinance, which allows use of the seal only with permission from the Board of Supervisors. Under the county code, a violation of the ordinance is a Class 1 misdemeanor, which carries a maximum sentence of 12 months in jail and/or a fine of up to $2,500. [link]

It seems that Mr. Rothamel irritated the BOS with one of his blog posts criticizing their actions (I'm not sure which post yet, but here's a link to the Board of Supervisors category), and they have retaliated in a truly petty and childlike manner - 

The motion for the ordinance was adopted 4-1 after a Sept. 15 public hearing during which Rothamel asked about fair use of the seal during news reporting, according to the meeting minutes. Shaun V. Kenney, the vice chairman of the board, voted against the ordinance. He said that he thinks the ordinance was a “remedial action” against the blogger for writing something that a supervisor didn’t agree with.

“This seems like a simple First Amendment, slam dunk, common sense situation,” Kenney said. “I’m still appalled, with all of the other issues facing us in Fluvanna County, that somehow we chose to focus on this.”

Hey, Fluvanna BOS members? I'm going to join up in support of Fluco Blog's First Amendment rights and imitate my blog-brother JR Hoeft at Bearing Drift:

First Amendment rights: NOT just for governmental toadies!

Here's a good idea...

Beyond that, we need to remember that Congress works for us. We’re their employers. So really, we should set their salaries. Why is it that they get to vote themselves raises? I did the math, and even at a 40% pay cut, they would still clear $100,000 a year, not including benefits so good they’d make you cry.

Dan Proft, candidate for governor of IL in the primaries, once suggested that representatives’ pay should be tied to the median income of their state. When the median income goes up, so does their pay. If it goes down, so does their pay. Talk about incentive to help the people!

I did a little research on median incomes across the nation. Only in California in some very ritzy areas did I find a median income at $103,000. Everywhere else in the states I sampled (NY, CO, IL, AK, AL, OR) the median income was between 50k-70k. If our new congress wants to make a big impression and a move in the right direction, they’ll cut $100,000 out of every representatives’ salaries. Multiplied by 535 that equals $53,500,000. It may be a drop in the bucket in the face of the trillions in debt we are facing, but it would go a long way in keeping faith with the voters by getting into the trenches with us.

via intolerantfox.wordpress.com

I must admit, this would be a really, really, REALLY good move on the part of the Republicans to show their voters just how seriously they're taking the second chance they've been given.

But more than that, I think it would be an excellent idea if congressional salaries were tied in to the average or mean income BY LAW. (Gee, I think I've mentioned this before...)

You don't tug on [Alan West's] cape..

Earlier this week, I noted that two of the incoming Republican Congressmen are both black -- and therefore technically qualified to be members of the Congressional Black Caucus. Allen West (R-FL) and Tim Scott (R-SC) are black and, come January, members of Congress, so they meet the membership standards. Practically speaking, though, membership is limited to black Democrats (especially those scandal-ridden), so I didn't see either of them getting engraved invitations. I also said that West was too no-nonsense to waste his time with the whole worthless mess, but I didn't know enough (hell, anything) about Scott, so he might try it.

I couldn't have been more wrong. I didn't take into account West's willingness to fight, to get in his opponents' faces. This is the guy who, when dissed by Obama, offered to debate both his electoral rival AND Obama at the same time. He's a highly-decorated veteran of Iraq; he isn't scared of anything Washington might throw at him. So he's notified the CBC that he would like to be considered for membership -- and woe betide anyone who tries to tell him no.

via wizbangblog.com

Oh, between Alan West and Tim Scott (plus Marco Rubio, Nikki Haley, Susana Martinez, and...), the DemonRATS are going to learn that Republicans - conservatives - are not bigoted, racist hicks.

No, we just like/love/admire/adore self-sufficient, independent, Constitution-loving, law-respecting go-getters who like to challenge the accepted stereotype and get in the face of the smug, intellectually lazy, "intellectual" "elite."

I can respect ANYONE who can do what Alan West has done, and who can hold to the integrity of character he does.

... of course, they are all too few...

Alan West = hero!

Related articles

• Haley, Scott among minorities in GOP to emerge victorious (washingtontimes.com)

The Teleprompter of the United States(tm) on tour...

Obama will make history for more than one reason during the Nov 6-9 visit. This will be the first time a teleprompter will be used in the nearly 100-feet high dome-shaped hall that has portraits of eminent national leaders adorning its walls.

Indian politicians are known for making impromptu long speeches and perhaps that is why some parliament officials, who did not wish to be named, sounded rather surprised with the idea of a teleprompter for Obama.

"We thought Obama is a trained orator and skilled in the art of mass address with his continuous eye contact," an official, who did not wish to be identified because of security restrictions, said.

Obama is known to captivate audiences with his one-liners that sound like extempore and his deep gaze. But few in India know that the US president always carries the teleprompter with him wherever he speaks.

via www.hindustantimes.com

Yeah, well, this is from IndoAsian News service, which apparently also "broke" the "Obama's Trip will Cost $200 million a day!" story (that sucked me in, I admit).

THIS, however, is very credible, considering how awful Obam has proven himself to be when off the teleprompter.

And so TOTUS racks up a few more travel miles... *snicker*

That's right, you ARE on probation

Don't forget it.

"Rush Limbaugh will be on the air."

Obama, as Rush Limbaugh predicted, has in fact now failed. Nancy Pelosi is out of a job. And thanks to Rush Limbaugh, a new generation of Americans is learning that conservatism is not simply cool -- more importantly they are learning collectivism isn't smart. 

But lest there be any doubt, this fight will continue. Not all races were won last night -- not all races will ever be won. Harry Reid is still there. No one in all of American history has won a unanimous election -- with the solitary exception of George Washington. 2012 lies ahead. Fortunately for conservatives, for the Republican Party -- and America -- there is one certainty as this battle continues:

Rush Limbaugh will be on the air.

via spectator.org

Yep. And the Tea Partiers and the Dittoheads and the Beckheads will be on the team.

What team is that, you say? Oh, it's not Rush's team - and he'd probably be the first to say that. No, it's not Rush's team; it's America's team.

Rush may have been a focal point, and he has certainly been a leader for the past 20-odd years. But the real team is American citizens keeping a critical and skeptical eye on Washington - and finally this year deciding to move like the giant we are to shrug off the chains of oppressive government.

In United States law, the first document is not, actually, the Constitution.

It's the Declaration of Independence.

It is that same Declaration which states:

Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

Don't mess with the American people. Because if you abuse us and our trust enough, we get angry.

You liberals, politicos, and intellectual "elites" won't like us when we get angry...

And Rush Limbaugh will still be on the air!

(crossposted to Virginia Virtucon)

"Now THAT'S bipartisanship!"

Barack Obama helped elect 255 Democrats to the House in 2008. This year, he helped elect 240 Republicans to the House.

via blogs.dailymail.com

Oh, yeah! I could definitely deal with this sort of *ahem, cough, cough* compromise!

For another article on good compromise, go over and read Mark Tapscott's article at the Examiner:

But there are genuine compromises and then there is obstruction masquerading as compromise. To achieve the former, congressional GOPers must have the backbone to negotiate from a position of strength so that the end result always moves the ball a significant distance in the direction dictated by the popular will.

Saying you will accept "tweeks" of Obamacare when the majority of Americans want that monstrosity repealed and replaced is not real compromise, it's obstruction. It was clear in Obama's post-election news conference that he doesn't understand such a distinction.

 

Grace vs. petulance in victory

OK, folks, here's how a real man - a person of honor and integrity - shoulders the load of victory:

Now, to see how a spineless, whiney "winner" passes the buck and shovels out blame, go on over to Hot Air, 'cause I'm not going to host that... creature's image here at CatHouse Chat....

Obama - do you hear us NOW? (UPDATED)

(UPDATE: Oh, and I forgot that Michelle Malkin has a lovely round-up of the President's hubris in her article yesterday, "Take Your Olive Branch and Shove It, Democrats." So. "Compromise"? *ak, pffft!* Fuhgeddaboutit!)

I'm wondering, Mr. President, if you remember saying this:

President Obama listened to Republican gripes about his stimulus package during a meeting with congressional leaders Friday morning - but he also left no doubt about who's in charge of these negotiations. "I won," Obama noted matter-of-factly, according to sources familiar with the conversation.

The exchange arose as top House and Senate Republicans expressed concern to the president about the amount of spending in the package. They also raised red flags about a refundable tax credit that returns money to those who don’t pay income taxes, the sources said.

The Republicans stressed that they want to include more middle class tax cuts in the package, citing their proposal to cut the two lowest tax rates — 15 percent and 10 percent — to ten percent and five percent, rather than issue the refundable credit Obama wants.

At another point in the meeting, sources said Obama told the group: “This is a grave situation facing the country.” White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Obama would hold another economic meeting in the White House Saturday for a "broader group."

After Friday's meeting, Democratic and Republican leaders publicly wrangled over the developing stimulus plan.

 But perhaps taking a cue from Obama’s “I won” line when Democrats were asked if they were concerned about Republicans blocking the package, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had a swift one-word answer: “No.”

Mmmm? Remember that?

Well. Rush Limbaugh speaks for me - and, God willing, the new Congress - when he says this:

Every Democrat in the House, I don't care, every Democrat in the House, Blue Dogs that went out and openly campaigned, supporting Obama and health care lost.  We are two Americas.  We have flyover America and we have the coasts.  Take a look at the map.  It's 90% red.  The blue is on the coasts, a little bit in Texas, a little bit here in south Florida.  We do have two Americas and Obama is gonna do his best to continue to divide this country.  I have to laugh.  I laughed when I listened to these guys, Democrats, Obama and his aides talking about, "Well, now it's time to compromise."  No.  Compromise is off the table.  They didn't want to compromise with us and we have no business compromising with them.  They lost.  Losers compromise.  We don't.  We've got nothing to compromise. [emph. mine - Kat] Where do we compromise with this agenda?  There's not one aspect of this agenda that's worth compromising.  This agenda must be stopped.  That's what this election meant.

No. Just... NO.

American citizens are tired of "bipartisanship" meaning that people on the political right give in while people on the political left get what they want.

No.

Time for the country to come to the center right - not careen off into the far left.

 

Newly-elected Republicans, TAKE HEED!

You know you weren't elected because we love the Republican Party, right?

You were elected because either a) you said you supported the Constitution, were dedicated to fiscal reform and restraint, and would work for a smaller government that got out of the lives and business of citizens, or b) you pretended to support those values.

For those in the first category: Keep the faith. Hold fast. Stay strong. America may be a generally center-right country, but you are on trial - and you must show yourselves to be persons of integrity and honor who follow through on your stated principles. I, personally, don't care for you to "get a lot done" in D.C.; we don't need MORE rules, regulations and laws. What I want you to do is the best you can to defund Obamacare, restrict spending, lower the deficit, balance the budget, and get rid of as many un-Constitutional laws as you can.

I don't want you to DO as much as I want you to UN-do!

For those in the second category: We're watching you. As a matter of fact, we'll be watching you very closely. And, if y'all will forgive me for the poor language, we will primary your ass and kick you OUT if you step out of line. Therefore, you'd better straighten up and fly right - or your tenure in Washington will be extremely brief.

We're very skeptical; the Republican Party has betrayed its base before, and we will not tolerate it again.

Here are a few articles from this morning you should read carefully (all emphasis mine) - 

From Douglas Holtz-Eakin at the Corner:

Today represents the beginning of answering the most interesting question: Will Barack Obama, for the first time, put action behind his words regarding bipartisanship and willingness to reach across the aisle, and work with Republicans? Or will this continue to be rhetoric only, with actions guided by his liberal instincts?

For Americans, this will matter greatly. But for Republicans, it should matter little. Their gains reflect the fact that voters want government based on first principles — a small, contained, efficient government — and Republicans campaigned on this. Voters also want accountability, so Republicans should cast every vote from a small government, efficiency perspective regardless of the agenda the White House presents. 

From Paul Hseih at Pajamas Media:

The 2010 vote was a powerful message from Americans rejecting the socialist policies of President Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid — including the bailouts, the out-of-control federal spending, the higher taxes, and the nationalized health care scheme.

Voters elected Republicans to halt and reverse these policies — not compromise to pass watered-down versions of those same bad ideas.

Some Republicans like Congressman Mike Pence appear to understand this:

[T]here will be no compromise on stopping runaway spending, deficits and debt. There will be no compromise on repealing ObamaCare. There will be no compromise on stopping Democrats from growing government and raising taxes.

In contrast, others like Congressman Darrell Issa appear willing to compromise:

It’s pretty clear the American people expect us to use the existing gridlock to create compromise and advance their agenda. … They want us to come together [with the administration] after we agree to disagree.

Whichever philosophy takes hold amongst the Republicans will determine whether they succeed — or fail.

Americans don’t expect the impossible from the GOP. We understand that Obama still wields the presidential veto. But we do expect the Republicans to fight as hard as they can for principles of free markets, fiscal responsibility, and limited government.

From Erick Erickson at Redstate:

Many members of Congress will begin whispering sweet nothings in your ear wooing you to vote for them and their rules for the House and Senate. Remember that these same men are the exact same people that the voters rejected in 2006 and again in 2008.

Remember that every poll showing a Republican landslide on Tuesday also shows that the public hates these men.

And finally, from Jim DeMint, in an op-ed at the Wall Street Journal:

Many of the people who will be welcoming the new class of Senate conservatives to Washington never wanted you here in the first place. The establishment is much more likely to try to buy off your votes than to buy into your limited-government philosophy. Consider what former GOP senator-turned-lobbyist Trent Lott told the Washington Post earlier this year: "As soon as they get here, we need to co-opt them."

Don't let them. Co-option is coercion. Washington operates on a favor-based economy and for every earmark, committee assignment or fancy title that's given, payback is expected in return. The chits come due when the roll call votes begin. This is how big-spending bills that everyone always decries in public always manage to pass with just enough votes.

But someone can't be bribed if they aren't for sale. 

Don't be for sale.

You have two questions, and two questions only, that you must consider for any vote you make:

1. Is this Constitutional?
2. Can we actually afford this?

Stand firm. Fight the good fight. Live and think and vote so that at the end of each and every day, you can honestly say:

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

And having done all, you stood firm.

BE THAT PERSON!

 

 

 

 

Tweet of the day?! Tweet of the CENTURY!

Found here, thanks to Ed Driscoll, posting at Instapundit.

Herman Cain

Video introduction playing now... His website is here.

... later....

WOW! Very inspiring speaker; I'll have to check out his radio show. I was able to get his speech on video (yay for charged batteries!) in two parts, and I'll see if I can get it up from the Convention.

We're rolling!

Jim Hoeft (Bearing Drift) is here (hey, dude - bumps shoulders), as is Jim Bowden. Rick Sincere rolled in last night, and Tom and Lynn are already here, of course. I also met Just a Conservative Girl, who also got fedora'd yesterday..

I've got to remember to try and get a group photo.... ;-)

Ready for Day Two of the Virginia Tea Party Convention

Yesterday, I had the opportunity of attending a seminar with Del. Bob Marshall and Jim McKelvey (former candidate for the Republican nomination for the House in VA-5),moderated by Pat McSweeny, and I didn't post anything about it... It was quite interesting, and I wish I had video, but my battery wasn't properly charged (*facepalm* - and that little issue is fixed now).

However, both of these gentlemen made some excellent points which really stuck in my mind. They're not terribly complex at all, but they are very much part of the foundation of the Tea Party movement. Mr. McKelvey pointed out that there are two simple questions which should direct elected officials in every decision they make:

1. Is this according to the Constitution?
2. Can we afford it?

Yes, folks, it really IS that simple!

Del. Marshall said, "As an elected official, we are supposed to serve you with the power you give us." I wish that more of our men and women - heck, ALL of them! - would have this attitude! After all, they are our employees, and we are not their subjects. Unfortunately, far too many people in government service think they're in office to rule over their fellow citizens - which should be a very dangerous assumption.

Finally, both these men stressed that it is each individual's responsibility to stand up and vote "NO!" when their representatives do not live up to their constitutional responsibilities.

I am enjoying myself immensely - lots of good information, friendly people, blog family, and a great deal of interesting things to see and learn!

(crossposted to Virginia Virtucon)

Tea Party Convention update

Well, folks, I'm having a wonderful time here - I've met up with Tom White of Virginia Right! as well as Norm Leahy of Tertium Quids. Tom is wonderful fun, and Norm, of course, is his charming self ;-) (Hi, guys! *waves*) 

Lynn Mitchell - SWAC Girl - is manning the table at Bloggers' Row (so to speak), but I came back up to the Media ready room because I feel much better leaving my laptop alone here while I wander. Lynn seems to know everyone

The opening was wonderful - Bishop Jackson gave the opening prayer, and then also gave the initial keynote welcome. I've never heard him speak before, and WOW! His church is truly blessed to have a man of such eloquence, passion and faith in the pulpit. He began by asking us all whether the Tea Party is racist or hateful (an obvious and resounding NO!"),but ended by inviting anyone who loves our country, who loves our Constitution, who loves our Declaration, and who loves the Judeo-Christian foundations of our nation to join up with the Tea Party movement and get involved.

It is not about color, it is not about race. It is about cherishing and honoring and protecting our Founders' vision for a free country of citizens who will self-govern and do not want the government bureaucracy interfering with the liberty given to us by our Creator.

I hope that I will have the opportunity to get at least some of these speeches on DVD; someone is filming in the central exhibition hall... ;-)

(crossposted to Virginia Virtucon)

Ready to PARTY!

OK, I'm all checked in at the Convention, set up in the Media Room (E21b), and have done my initial pass through the outer hallway. Quite a few organizations set up with a LOT of items which will be quite dangerous to may wallet.

I've also met Jim Bacon, founder of Bacon's Rebellion and author of Boomergeddon (a very worthwhile read - please go BUY IT!)

Our first breakout sessions starts at 11a.m. and although I'm probably going to be at "First Principles and the Founders' Constitution: How to Think About America and Spread the Message" by Matt Spalding, I'm also tempted by Robert Rector's "A Nation at Risk - Illegal Immigration," and John Taylor's "Private Property and Eminent Domain Reform."

The second session at noon and the third at 3pm also present some excellent choices, so I'm obviously going to be dithering for a bit before I make my choices. ;-)

So, I'm ready and waiting for my blog buddies to come on in so we can get to work and cover this Convention and spread the word!

Time to (Tea) Party!!!!

After dropping my beloved daughter off at school, I packed up my bag and began the trek up to Richmond for this weekend's Virginia Tea Party Convention.

I stopped at two wonderful quilt stores along the way, JoJo's and Quilting Adventures, and then swung by the Penzey's Spices store on West Cary Street. Penzey's was a real treat, because I've never been in one of their stores, even though I've been ordering from their wonderful catalog for years. My only disappointment - even though it was probably a good thing for my sinuses - was that the rich scent of the spices and herbs didn't waft deliciously through the store...

Of course, that didn't stop me from spending a bit *ahem* more than I'd originally planned!

So, here I am at the Hilton (lovely property, and definitely living up to the high standards of Hilton hospitality!) and about ready to go over to the Convention Center and get registered. God willing, I'll have some great photos, video and commentary to post!

Related articles by Zemanta

• The Largest Tea Party Convention to Assemble in Richmond (theroot.com)
• Tea Parties Forge Alliances to Push Agendas (foxnews.com)
• Tea Party Getting Its Act Together (newser.com)

Remember November!

via www.youtube.com and THANK YOU! to Gateway Pundit for the video tip!

You and I have a rendezvous with destiny. We will preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on Earth, or we will sentence them to take the last step into a thousand years of darkness." -- Ronald Reagan

So. Are we going to choose liberty and freedom and a small, controlled government?

Or shall we descend into slavery and bow to political masters?

I have another quote for you:

The millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable--and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come.

... Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!

-- Patrick Henry

 

 

Michelle Obama thinks being First Lady is 'hell', says Carla Bruni | Mail Online

Michelle Obama thinks being America’s First Lady is ‘hell’, Carla Bruni reveals today in a wildly indiscreet book.

Miss Bruni divulges that Mrs Obama replied when asked about her position as the U.S. president’s wife: ‘Don’t ask! It’s hell. I can’t stand it!’

Read more

That's OK, Michellemabelle. God willing, in just about two years, y'all will be packing up to leave.

Then perhaps we can get someone worthy to live in the Peoples' House...

Related articles by Zemanta

• New Bruni Book Tells Of 'Rivalry' With Obamas (news.sky.com)
• Carla Bruni's rivalry with Michelle Obama has damaged US relations with France (telegraph.co.uk)
• Carla Bruni-Sarkozy and Michelle Obama at odds, book claims (telegraph.co.uk)

SUCK IT UP, and quit with the sour grapes, Republicans! (UPDATED)

UPDATE: Make sure you scroll to the end for the link to Kevin McCullough's piece at FoxNews!

You know, I'm already getting very tired of the sour grapes of establishment Republicans (yeah, I mean you!) on last night's Delaware primary results. Folks, the NRSC and NRCC et al. have been ignoring their base for YEARS - and now they're going to take their ball and sulk home like they did with Scozzafava? Seems to me to be an indication they don't want to listen to their base - and will continue to descend into penury and irrelevance.

Perhaps if these committees LISTENED to their base and LISTENED to the Tea Party people demanding fiscal restraint, transparency, and less government interference and then SOUGHT OUT good candidates, we wouldn't be in this predicament.

Will O'Donnell win in November? I don't know - but if the Republican Party organizations don't grow up and grit their teeth and SUPPORT her (you know, kinda like a lot of the BASE did for McCain because he selected PALIN as his running mate), the odds go even further down. It seems to me that too many Republicans would rather be defeated by the Democrats' candidate than TRY to get the Republican candidate elected.

This sort of attitude simply reeks with the elitist snobbery I despise in my own party (except, of course, I don't really consider myself a Republican anymore...). You know what I'm "hearing" in this? "Well, we believe in the people and we want to have limited government and get out of the way of the people and the country belongs to the people - except when the people are morons and don't like the candidate we have chosen for those ignorant, unwashed ignoramuses."

Like I said - "sour grapes."

Suck it up, Republicans. Get behind the candidate chosen by the people and TRY TO **blinking** WIN for once!

(And thanks to Jerry Fuhrman for his post which encouraged me to state MY thoughts on the matter - 'cause I'm very fed up with certain people-who-would-know-who-they-are-but-don't-read-me-anyway-but-that's-life*shrug*)

UPDATES: More good stuff at

• the Washington Examiner
• Don Surber
• Instapundit
• Conservatives4Palin (and won't that link make a few heads explode?)
• Michelle Malkin (I know she's in the Zemanta links blow - read the post!)
• Captain Ed at Hot Air ("Grow up, shut up, and get to work." AMEN!)

Ed quotes Kevin McCullough at FoxNews, and I simply MUST quote him also:

For far too many years conservatives within the Republican party have been lectured to time and again by party officials, talk show hosts, syndicated columnists, et al that conservatives had to perform their wifely duties as it related to voting for the choices left for them in general elections. For conservatives these have been bitter pills to swallow for the liberal republicans have far too often been far too similar to the liberal democrats they opposed to generate any real excitement about the distinction of their candidacy.

In election cycle after election cycle conservatives in northeastern states and along the Atlantic coast have had fingers wagged in our faces and been told to accept the fact that reelecting and putting up with candidates like Mike Castle in Delaware was somehow better than electing a Democrat. But after we'd sent them back to Washington we would watch as those same Republicans, the Susan Collins, the Olympia Snowes, the Arlen Specters of the world would proceed to vote for programs and spending that a Democrat would have voted for anyway.

[...]

... if "establishment" candidates are willing to give anything more than lip service to the party they wished to represent, then they should be willing to roll up their sleeves and do the hard work of campaigning for someone they disagree with on issues. And they should do so remembering they are in it for the greater good.

The problem, at least on the GOP side of the equation, is that so many "establishment candidates" did not/do not wish to hold to the platform of their party. There is a platform adopted by the party for specific reasons. It gets re-drafted every presidential election cycle. And in the GOP it has been candidates who did not hold to the ideas of lower taxes, pro-life, pro-marriage, gun ownership rights, and strong national security that have been causing the problems for Republicans nationally. And for the same length of time, conscientious conservatives have been told to grin and bear it.

We were told that in the end having a majority with an (R) after their name was the best thing of all.
Well I see no reason why that statement can't hold true when a genuine Republican conservative wins a primary.

Amen, amen, and AMEN!

 

Related articles by Zemanta

• Report: National Republican Senatorial Committee Won't Fund Christine O'Donnell (mediaite.com)
• Tea Party Candidate Wins, and the GOP Loses (cbsnews.com)
• Insurgent US 'Tea Party' scores another upset (alternet.org)
• Big night for tea party: O'Donnell wins Delaware (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• O'Donnell win stuns Delaware (politico.com)
• Rove bashes O'Donnell; O'Donnell supporter at victory party strikes back; NRSC cuts and runs (michellemalkin.com)

Burning the Koran (UPDATED)

UPDATE 2.0 on 09Sep2010 - Go over to Dan's place - he says it so much better than I do....

You know, it's really a somewhat interesting topic... Frankly, I am of two minds about it, which shouldn't surprise my fellow Christians at all ;-)

For those of you who don't know, there's a "pastor" in Gainesville, FL - Terry Jones - who is planning on having a Burning of the Koran Party (for lack of a better term) on September 11th. I haven't posted anything about it until now, but one of my favorite authors on the whole web, Jay Tea at Wizbang! (who is an agnostic), chimed in on the subject today, and I just had to clarify something.

Frankly, in my fleshly nature (for non-Christians, that means in my natural, sinful, in-rebellion-against-God side), I don't care two pins about the "atrocities" anyone wants to commit on the Koran. Burn it? Sure. Cover it in excrement? Fine. Warp it in bacon and deep fry it? No problem. After all the Muslim hypersensitivity on how WE must honor and be tolerant of their rules when WE find them irrelevant, noxious or intolerant, and after their consistant and extremely over the top reactions to what they perceive as "insults" to their religion or their soi-disant "prophet," I find it very difficult to dredge up anything more elevating than profound indifference.

If I don't bother to dredge up anything edifying, I confess I feel a rather snarky and somewhat gleeful satisfaction... But, as I said, that's my sinful nature speaking.

If I react as a Christian, however, I really cannot condone the plan of Mr. Jones and his church.

Is is because I'm worried about the "Muslim reaction"? No, not at all - except that, in this case, the church is acting in a very un-Churchlike - un Christ-like! - manner. I believe this is deliberately provocative in a way that has no biblical support whatsoever. It is one thing to provoke unfavorable reactions when acting appropriately - Jesus actually promises blessings for that:

Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Taking a hit because of righteous action or righteous provocation is just fine - but smearing the name of Christ because you are taking unrighteous action is, as far as I'm concerned, just blasphemeing His name. Not only that, but this pastor and his church, if they follow through on this, are also encouraging others to tear down the name of Christ!

And that's why Mr. Jones and his church should not burn the Korans this Saturday.

Meanwhile, I'll be over here in the corner, trying to battle my snark and glee into submission....

UPDATE: Alber Mohler opens his Briefing podcast with this topic today (first 6 minutes or so).

Related articles by Zemanta

• Terry Jones: Burning Korans 'Meant to Be a Warning' (abcnews.go.com)
• "US officials warn of danger in Koran burning" and related posts (personalmoneystore.com)
• Pressure mounts against Koran burning (bbc.co.uk)
• Pastor in pledge to burn Korans (mirror.co.uk)
• Vatican Calls Planned Koran Burning 'Outrageous' (businessweek.com)
• Petraeus 'concerned' - Gen. warns against Koran burning (politico.com)

"He was for it before he was against it"

Sen. (Dirty) Harry Reid (D-NV), seems to have pulled a John Kerry (D-MA)... Recently he made the outrageous statement that he couldn't understand how Hispanics could possibly be Republicans... and yet back in 1993, he supported revoking "birthright citizenship" for illegal immigrants, something that conservatives (and proper Republicans) support.

One would assume that this might upset one or two people of Hispanic descent, yeah?

Hey, Harry - aren't you glad you and the DemonRATS seem to be so good at fooling so many people with your corruption and hypocrisy while you destroy this country? [headdesk]

I will say, though, that I never would have thought I'd ever agree with Dirty Harry on anything... I suppose this is another example of a broken clock being right twice a day.

*sigh*

Vote 'em out. Vote them ALL out!

Test your spending savvy: Stimulus funds being used for....?

Hey - pedestrian tunnels, anti-smoking programs, responsible drinking seminars, robotics... These sound like EXCELLENT programs to me!

... Oh, wait...

"Monster minds" - today's dose of John Calvin

This is from the Institutes, Book 1, chapter 5, section 4:

But herein appears the shameful ingratitude of men. Though they have in their own persons a factory where innumerable operations of God are carried on, and a magazine stored with treasures of inestimable value—instead of bursting forth in His praise, as they are bound to do, they, on the contrary, are the more inflated and swelled with pride. They feel how wonderfully God is working in them, and their own experience tells them of the vast variety of gifts which they owe to His liberality. Whether they will or not, they cannot but know that these are proofs of His Godhead, and yet they inwardly suppress them. They have no occasion to go farther than themselves, provided they do not, by appropriating as their own that which has been given them from heaven, put out the light intended to exhibit God clearly to their minds. At this day, however, the earth sustains on her bosom many monster minds—minds which are not afraid to employ the seed of Deity deposited in human nature as a means of suppressing the name of God. Can any thing be more detestable than this madness in man, who, finding God a hundred times both in his body and his soul, makes his excellence in this respect a pretext for denying that there is a God?

I find it very interesting that, while Calvin wrote this back in the 1500's, it is still so true today. We have "monster minds" running around everywhere we look. Leaders in science, politics, society, and - God help us! - even in religion, who use the minds and intellect given by God to deny that He exists!

God knows the human heart inside and out and centuries ago, He inspired a man to write the book of Ecclesiastes which says:

That which has been is what will be,
That which is done is what will be done,
And there isnothing new under the sun.
Is there anything of which it may be said,
“See, this is new”?
It has already been in ancient times before us.
There is no remembrance of former things,
Nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come
By those who will come after.

We are indeed a race of madmen...

Related articles by Zemanta

• Calvin's Institutes again: Yielding up our whole selves to God (cathousechat.com)

This is yet another reason why I am a HUGE Ford Fan

(... besides the fact that I still completely adore my 2003 Ford Explorer...)

General Motors plans an initial public offering as soon as today -- a first step in the government's effort to sell its ownership stake to private investors. The IPO comes on the heels of a much publicized plant tour by President Obama, who'll certainly hail the stock sale as proof he made a smart decision by bailing out the automaker with billions of taxpayer dollars.

But, to us, the IPO will be proof of something else: a White House that purposefully trampled the legal rights of investors -- many of whom, like us, are small savers -- to benefit its political supporters. Rather than a model of success and foresight, the GM episode is a model of corruption and cronyism.

Read the whole thing.

Our Founders would be apoplectic over this governmental interference into the private sector, and they would be completely appalled at the way their descendants have fled from the principles of liberty and personal responsibility.

Via: FOXNews.com - Levi Johnston to Run for Mayor on Reality Show

From Playgirl to ... politico?

That's right: Levi Johnston's manager, Tank Jones, is confirming a report that Johnston is planning to run for city office in his hometown of Wasilla, Alaska, as part of a reality TV show.

via www.foxnews.com

That lying, hypocritical, irresponsible, snide little hack as mayor?? Oh, just hand me the Pepto before I puke...

*sigh* If this idiotic concept is the basis for a reality show, it proves that TV producers are convinced of the American public's shallowness.

I hope Wasilla has enough self-respect to refuse to give this pretender even a single vote!

GAH!!!!

UPDATE -

Asked whether he believed people would take Johnston's run for office seriously, with TV cameras rolling, Jones said: "People questioned Jesus Christ, so I definitely don't care about these mere mortals questioning Levi Johnston. [!!! - so Lying Levi is the equivalent to Jesus?! - K]

"People can question whatever they want. I mean, he's going to keep on doing his thing," he said. "He was going to do this, even if this wasn't a reality show."

Oh, can we just say delusional, arrogant, egotistical... And freakin' CLUELESS??? I simply cannot comprehend how people can be so incredibly out of touch with REAL reality!

Red ink...

From the excellent Mr. Ramirez, over at Investors' Business Daily...

Yeah, you got that right!

"Illegal alien/immigrant" DOES NOT EQUAL "illegal person"

(UPDATE: My latest comment on this issue, and I would urge you to read the whole thread. Although there are some supporters, most of the comments lean heavily in favor of enforcing the law.)

How. Many. Times. Does. That. Have. To. Be. Said?!

I'm very tired of seeing this argument, but even more so from someone whose opinion I respect. Usually.

We neglect for a moment that 20 million people are within our borders because they want a better life for themselves and their family.  20 million people willing to work hard, build businesses, make money, and be a part of the community.  You know, the things America used to stand for?

That's wonderful! GREAT! America also stands for - or it used to - the rule of law. You want to come here? Do it legally!

Oh, but, Kat, those poor people are in such dire economic straits, they only want to better themselves, and it is great for the free market! Where's your Christian compassion?!

That's the logical fallacy of the appeal to pity. It's exactly the same fallacy as, "Baby, if you love me..." that some unscrupulous people use to get something to which they have no legitimate claim.

Folks, I have compassion for them, but compounding the wrong THEY do by flouting the law when entering this country with simply giving up on enforcing that law is insanity. Two wrongs do not - and can never - make a right!

Allow me to entertain a different idea.  Conservatives ideally believe in the power of the free market.  Instead of rounding up and deporting every non-English speaking Hispanic, why don’t we encourage work visas?  Extend business opportunities to Central America?  Take those 20 million “illegal” persons (as if such a concept existed) and recognize that 20 million potential Americans who believe in hard work and free enterprise are ready to enlist in the American Experiment?

As I said over in the comments, I have never heard of any conservative put forth the idea that people who have entered this country are "illegal persons" (i.e. - just so I'm absolutely clear - persons whose very existence is illegal). To phrase the argument that way is disingenuous and commits the logical fallacy of equivocation.

When conservatives refer to "illegal aliens/immigrants," we mean that these people have arrived in this country by illegal means - they have broken our law. That is, by definition, illegal. Period. Shall we try to keep that in mind?

Now.

Are our immigration laws broken? Yup.

Is enforcement of those laws a joke? Yup.

Are there opportunities for people from other countries to come here and work for a better life? Yup.

Would I - or any conservative - welcome people who show respect for our national sovereignty and culture by coming here legally? You bet yer shiny-white-hiney!

The answer is NOT to have open borders: there are people who want to come here so that they can - effectively - rape, pillage, burn, murder and destroy. They hate us. It would not be a good thing to let them in; on the contrary, it would be wise to make all efforts to keep them out.

Are all illegal aliens "out to get us"? No, of course not - but by the same token, not all passengers flying planes are terrorists. Does that mean we can have "open boarding" for everyone who has a ticket? Yeah, I know, TSA screening is a joke, too - does that mean we just throw our hands up in disgust and give up?! Good Lord, no!

Geeze, people, show a little common sense! (Oh, yeah, "oxymoron" - right [headdesk])

I have no idea who this commenter is, but when - in response to my comment, which is the first on that post - he says

Kat seems to again stumble into the legal positivism, rejecting natural law. Kat says “But I do not want, as a citizen, to welcome people who deliberately and intentionally break our laws”. Is one’s desire to come to America and live a better life now equated to a desire to deliberately break the law? Or is the breaking of the law the unintentional side effect of seeking self betterment in this case? One must assume from Kat’s comment that the position being taken is that the driving goal of illegal immigrants is NOT to live in land of opportunity, but to break laws. Seriously? That’s fundamentally ridiculous. Respect for the law is key. Love for your fellow man is far superior.

he sets aside the fact that

1. allowing your love for your fellow man to negate your respect for a law that does not contradict God's law (and shall we use the Ten Commandments, just to make this simple?) is allowing every man to do what is right in his own eyes - and leads to anarchy and total disrespect for your fellow man
2. I never said that the driving goal of immigrants was to break laws, but rather that they do so knowingly and intentionally to achieve their driving goal of entering this country
3. seeking self betterment is wonderful and breaking the law (again, I refer to laws which do not directly contradict God's law) may be a side effect, but the fact is that they DO break the law intentionall - and the ends do NOT justify the means
4. natural law requires that we have open boarders? Really? To which "natural law" does he refer? What "natural law" am I rejecting? Even when our Founders said out unalienable rights were "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," they did not set aside the LAW so that everyone could do as they darn well pleased!

Good Lord, I've seen clearer thinking from rabid liberals!

... OK, maybe not, but it's a pretty close call.

People. There are a lot of proposed solutions out there, and I would love to see this broken system fixed, but rolling over and giving up is not reasonable, rational, wise, frugal, profitable OR compassionate. No market is completely free, no borders are completely secure. But one of the mandates of our Federal government is to protect the lives and rights of American citizens first.

Our laws can be changed by legal means. If you feel that passionate about the plight of the poor, beleaguered people who come here by illegal means, then use the existing system to change the laws and fix the bloody problem!!!!

But do not set aside existing law just to soothe your hurted widdle feeewings and make yourself feel better and morally superior because you waved your hand and helped those law-breakers in their lawlessness.

And, yeah, this is a pretty harsh post with strong language. I can do that you know - just because I prefer not to smack people upside the head doesn't mean I won't.

And, Shaun, I still love you.

from the WSJ: "The Alien in the White House"

The deepening notes of disenchantment with Barack Obama now issuing from commentators across the political spectrum were predictable. So, too, were the charges from some of the president's earliest enthusiasts about his failure to reflect a powerful sense of urgency about the oil spill.

There should have been nothing puzzling about his response to anyone who has paid even modest critical attention to Mr. Obama's pronouncements. For it was clear from the first that this president—single-minded, ever-visible, confident in his program for a reformed America saved from darkness by his arrival—was wanting in certain qualities citizens have until now taken for granted in their presidents. Namely, a tone and presence that said: This is the Americans' leader, a man of them, for them, the nation's voice and champion. Mr. Obama wasn't lacking in concern about the oil spill. What he lacked was that voice—and for good reason.

Those qualities to be expected in a president were never about rhetoric; Mr. Obama had proved himself a dab hand at that on the campaign trail. They were a matter of identification with the nation and to all that binds its people together in pride and allegiance. These are feelings held deep in American hearts, unvoiced mostly, but unmistakably there and not only on the Fourth of July.

A great part of America now understands that this president's sense of identification lies elsewhere, and is in profound ways unlike theirs. He is hard put to sound convincingly like the leader of the nation, because he is, at heart and by instinct, the voice mainly of his ideological class. He is the alien in the White House, a matter having nothing to do with delusions about his birthplace cherished by the demented fringe.

Read the whole thing - excellent article, and the title is priceless! (Thanks to my Beloved Husband, who forwarded the link)

But will he hold is ground?

Shaun Kenny links to a Politico article about Rep. Tom Perriello. Shaun seems rather optimistic, but from the article, I detect some possible waffling on Perriello's side:

"A spokesman with the National Republican Congressional Committee accused Perriello of “flip flopping” after Perriello faced questions from televangelist Pat Robertson on MSNBC on Thursday morning.

In that appearance on “Morning Joe,” Robertson questioned Perriello about where he stands on the issue. 

“The Stupak amendment [in the House health care reform bill] outlawed funding for abortion,” Robertson said. “I understand funding for abortion is back in the Senate bill. If it comes in the bill over in the House and they’re going to fund abortion, would you vote for that healthcare bill?”

Perriello replied: “I’ve got a lot of problems with the Senate bill. The fact is that getting universal health care — moving in that direction — is a very pro-life position. Providing pre- and post-natal care for women is one of the greatest ways we can reduce the number of abortions.”

“What you’re saying is, without the Stupak amendment, I can still vote for it?” Robertson asked.

“Well, we’re going to see how that plays out here in this process but that’s not the problem I have,” Perriello said. “I think taxing middle-class benefits is not a good idea.”

Mmm, I dunno. I hope Perriello holds his ground on this, but I don't really think of him as having that sort of moral fortitude. (Actually, these days, I don't think of ANY politician as having that sort of moral fortitude.)

We'll see. I hope he holds. But... We'll see.

It's rather amazing to find such idiocy on a casual search

I was poking around the Internet yesterday, looking at State parks in reasonable driving distance. We have a lovely RV that hasn't been anywhere in too long, and I thought I'd look around and see if anything piqued my interest. I remember that may years ago we stayed in the general area of Phohick State Park -Westmoreland, I think - and had a great time.

So, I was googling around, and saw that in the Pohick area (or at least, I think it was in that area, I wasn't looking at maps) is also Mason Neck. And for some reason, I came across this blog post, essentially saying that Gov. McDonnell doesn't love our State parks, because he's closing five of them.

I see that Blue Virginia has also jumped on the bandwagon, with an approving mention of that post by Benny-Wenny over at Not Larry Sabato (get your own link to that reprobate).

Now, Norm over at Tertium Quids as well as Krystle at Bearing Drift have already chimed in on this - and far more eloquently than I might - but I do want to ask the leftosphere something. A few somethings, actually.

Do you really think that, after only a month in office, Gov. McDonnell really holds a particular animus for these parks? Or do you think that, maybe, in an attempt to look over the budget snarl the recent *ahem* Democratic *cough* governors have bequeathed to the Commonwealth and bring some sanity to spending, Gov. McDonnell reviewed various proposals by the many departments of government to see where they said they could cut costs? Perhaps - possibly - the Governor saw that the Department of Conservation and Recreation said that these parks were losing money for the State due to low visitation revenue vs upkeep expenses... And, perhaps, the Governor saw this as a way to cut costs with the least impact possible to jobs?

I realize jobs will be lost in this move - but I didn't realize that Virginia had a policy of guaranteeing jobs so long as there were breathing bodies to occupy them. I'm sorry some people will be out of work, but what if it's a case of 100 jobs in the recreation section vs 500 jobs in education or health?

Folks, everyone is having to tighten their belts in these difficult times, including the Commonwealth.

Would you rather we keep spending money we don't have, placing more of a burden on future generations and eventually teetering on the edge of bankruptcy like, oh - California? Hard times mean hard choices. Get with the program, pare down non-essential services as much as possible, make wise spending decisions, and get inside sensible budget restrictions, and we'll weather the storm and come out better.

But as long as y'all keep whining, things are just going to get worse.

C'mon, Virginia Democrats - don't be like your big brother.

 

(crossposted to Virginia Virtucon)

U.K. Church Leaders: "Wives, submit to your husbands"

The sermons sparked outrage among many churchgoers, especially women.

One woman said she was "disgusted."

"How can they talk that way in the 21st century?" she told the Daily Mail.

(Daily Mail Online via FoxNews)

How can they talk that way? Well, because it just happens to be BIBLICAL. I note that the original article also adds "be silent," which Fox's excerpt does not mention.

Nevertheless, it is a biblical command that women should respect their husbands and accept their leadership - after all, honey, if you don't respect and love him enough to follow him, why are you (why DID you) marry him?!

One thing that's really, REALLY irritating to me is that the "women, submit to your own husbands" verse is almost ALWAYS quoted alone. In context, the husband is called to LOVE the wife who is submitting to him as Christ loved the Church.

Just for those who don't know - Christ DIED for His church! Jesus loved His people so much that He came to give us life. He came to people who were sinful, hateful, rebellious, and who didn't want to love God...

BUT!!!

For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8, New King James Version)

God loves us so much that He came and DIED for us, even when we still hated Him.

So, Ladies, you need to see this video (and, yeah, it's long, but WATCH IT ALL!!!) with your husband (or boyfriend).

And then.... THEN!!! You both need to watch Pastor Mark talk to the man in your life...

Yes, it will take you two or more hours to watch both videos. BUT... After you see and consider BOTH videos, after you understand the responsibilities and duties that each party in a marriage has... Who, really, is being a slave?! Who is being a doormat? Who has the more difficult calling? Who is called to be Jesus and live the harder, more sacrificial life...????

Wives... We should cover our heads and bow in shame for the insolence and rebellion we show to the men who live the Christ-like life of sacrifice and selfless love. We should repent of our arrogance, pride and selfishness when we marry. We should turn away from our demands to be firstoneonlyBETTER over our men and our demands that they be less than they could be, less than they were made to be...

Lord Jesus, please! Bring reconciliation, bring humility and unselfish love to the men and women who are married. Reveal Yourself to them: the humble, loving sacrifice You made to redeem Your people - the example Husbands should follow - and the loving obedience and submission to Your Father that every wife should emulate.

REPENT!!!! Oh, by God's mercy and grace... Repent!

Folks, we Christians in the United States (and I do include myself) are selfish, complacent and unfeeling.

We live in the richest nation on earth - resources, opportunities, finances, families - and yet, although America is the most generous nation on earth, the Christian Church has not stepped up to the plate and given to God's work proportionately to the blessings He has HEAPED upon us.

I am convicted and shamed by my own selfishness and concern for the future. I need to be slapped in the face with God's promises to provide for the needs of His children and His promise to pour out blessing to faithful givers. He does not promise financial blessings, but rather to bless the influence and grace of our inheritance in Heaven.What a treasure could be waiting for us, if we only open wide our hands and give back to God that which is already His!

Yes, for some, He will add blessing upon blessing financially - because He has found faithful servants (or is testing the servants whom He has blessed with financial assets) who will still put His Kingdom before their own needs. God is searching for men and women to bless richly so they can bless others according to His provision in their lives.

Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church spent 30+ hours in Haiti after the earthquake. I ask you to please watch the whole video... And then do what God lays on your heart.

We in America have been given riches beyond measure. The poverty line in Haiti is roughly $1300.00 a year, and 80% of the population can't even make that...

As Christians, we have no percentage guideline for giving to the Church in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the end of the earth." Folks, for us, Jerusalem is our home, Judea is our community/state, Samaria is our nation... And the "end of the earth" is all our brothers and sisters in Christ who need our help to spread the wonderful Gospel of Salvation.

Do you earn $10,000? Can you offer $10 - at least???? Do you earn $60k? Can you give $500? Do you earn whatever, and realizing the blessings God has given you - just by being born to this prosperous and blessed country!! - you realize you need to give back to His Kingdom by loving, supporting and encouraging your brothers and sisters in a far country?

Please watch the whole video... and then give all that you possibly can to rebuild, uplift and encourage the Church in Haiti and all her people.

His home budget seems to be a bi out of whack; why should we be surprised at his government spending?

Women's Wear Daily reported today that Michelle Obama wore a dress that retails for $1850 to the State of the Union address given by her husband, Barack Obama, on Wednesday night.

Last week, the White House featured as the 'photo of the day' a picture of Michelle Obama wearing a $2763 designer coat with matching dress of unknown cost and $850 custom made designer boots.

During the Obama's $4000 per day Christmas vacation, Michelle Obama was photographed wearing a $635 pair of designer shoes. A recent study of five pairs of designer shoes worn last year by Michelle Obama showed an average price of $700 per pair

via www.freerepublic.com

OK, the Presidential salary s $400,000. The tuition for the Obamas' daughters at Sidwell Friends is about $30k per, although I'd say the total would be about $56k-ish, since it's fairly common to give a tuition discount on additional children from the same family.

Assuming the Obamas don't itemize (yeah, right), they're paying taxes on $374,000 ($400k - 4[3650.00 personal exemptions] - 11,400 [standard deduction, married filing jointly]). That places them in the 35% tax bracket, so that's about $130,000 the Obamas are shelling out to their "fair share" of the national tax burden.

So, $400k - $130k - $56k = $214,000.

Now, out of that - because, of course, they wouldn't accept illegal GIFTS, would they? - teh One™ also must pay some of the living expenses at the White House. It's my understanding, for instance, that he'll have to pay his food expenses, although the government does pick up the tab for state functions.

I'm sure that the Obamas have other sources of income, but it does make me wonder how far $214k can stretch when you're going on $4,000 a day vacations and your wife likes $700 shoes...

Chris Matthews is an idiot - and probably a closet racist, too!

MSNBC host Chris Matthews is under fire for commenting on air that President Obama has done so much to heal racial divides that "I forgot he was black" as he watched Obama's first State of the Union address Wednesday night.

Matthews, who appeared on the cable network shortly after the speech, said of the president:

"I was trying to think about who he was tonight. And uh, it's interesting. He is post-racial, by all appearances. You know, I forgot he was black tonight for an hour....

"I was watching, I said, 'wait a minute!' He's an African-American guy in front of a bunch of other white people and there he is president of the United States and we've completely forgotten that tonight -- completely forgotten it!"

via www.foxnews.com

I mean, really!!! Only someone to whom skin color is an actual issue would bring this up.

I don't care if Obama is orange with pink stripes and green polka-dots - I still despise his big government, socialist policies. I would despise them if he were a dedicated white supremacist, or an Asian immigrant, or an Hispanic "undocumented worker," or a woman, or the average "guy on the street." I don't care WHO puts forth these policies - I think they (the policies) are wrong, and should be abhorrent to any true American.

Chris Mathews - like most loony liberals - is still too concerned (and falsely so) with skin color, and cannot seem to separate a minor genetic issue with the content of someone's character or the intelligence of their policies.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

Gee. Wonder where that quote came from?

But, no. Chris Matthews, like the rest of the hypocritical liberal left, cannot let a healing wound HEAL. He and his ilk keep picking at the scab - and if they have their way, eventually that wound won't heal. Instead, it will develop into a scar that nothing will erase - and it will be the fault of people like Chris Matthews.

Obama's policies (the DemonRATIC party's policies!) are crap, and they're going to bankrupt and ruin this country while putting its citizens in danger and releasing our sovereign rights to foreign powers. All tha has NOTHING to do with skin color!

Matthew's condemnation is just. God willing, this will be the straw that breaks the camel's back and forces him off the air in ignominious disgrace.

Creigh Deeds: Listen to the world's smallest violin playing "My Heart Bleeds For You"

Seated behind a modest desk in the two-room law office he occupies next to Genia's Beauty Salon on Main Street in downtown Hot Springs, Deeds didn't refer to McDonnell by name during an interview with the Richmond Times-Dispatch. It's an indication, perhaps, that devoting years of your life to a dream that doesn't come true warrants a longer recovery period.

"I'm surviving, doing the best I can," he said. "I mean, what choice do I have, right? You got to keep going. You just have to keep moving."

In the weeks after the election, Deeds, 52, hasn't spent a night outside his home in rural Bath County. Public appearances have been rare -- a couple of visits to Charlottesville, a Christmas shopping trip to Roanoke, a drive to attend a funeral.

Instead, Deeds has set to work rebuilding the life he left behind when he became a candidate -- resurrecting a dormant law practice, repairing fences on the family farm, getting a cranky stove to provide warmth on a winter's day in the Allegheny Mountains.

"The toll on my family . . . there are things I'll never get back and that hurts a whole lot," he said. "A lot of personal stuff that I'm just not going to go into.

"Going forward, I've got a responsibility to represent people in the state Senate and rebuild a life that I had, that I have left," he said. "There's still a lot of figuring out to do. I've got to get back to basics.

via www2.timesdispatch.com

Oh, just cry me a freakin' river!

Deeds, you ran an unfocused, disjointed and bumbling campaign that avoided real debate about any pertinent issue. Your responsibility, your proven lack of leadership and charisma.

Step up to the plate, own it, and quit whining...

Oh, wait - that's what DemonRATs do. Well, I guess we can start the count down timer for how long it takes you to pack up your toys and go home in a sulk, or to start throwing fits on the senate floor when you can't get your way.

Good lord, man, how old are you?! Man up and grow a pair!

If even Jon Stewart is seeing Obama's lies...

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Stealth Care Reform
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

My, my, my... It seems to me that Buyers' Remorse is on the rise on the Left...

If you'd listened to us, people, you would have SEEN the guy is an empty, spineless suit! Ah, well. Maybe the Left will learn the value of that old adage, "Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice - shame on ME!"

Happy New Year: TSA displays government efficiency and transparency... NOT!

Via Wired:  "TSA Threatens Blogger Who Posted New Screening Directive" -

Special agents from the TSA’s Office of Inspection interrogated two U.S. bloggers, one of them an established travel columnist, and served them each with a civil subpoena demanding information on the anonymous source that provided the TSA document.

The document, which the two bloggers published within minutes of each other Dec. 27, was sent by TSA to airlines and airports around the world and described temporary new requirements for screening passengers through Dec. 30, including conducting “pat-downs” of legs and torsos. The document, which was not classified, was posted by numerous bloggers. Information from it was also published on some airline websites.

“They’re saying it’s a security document but it was sent to every airport and airline,” says Steven Frischling, one of the bloggers. “It was sent to Islamabad, to Riyadh and to Nigeria. So they’re looking for information about a security document sent to 10,000-plus people internationally. You can’t have a right to expect privacy after that.”

Transportation Security Administration spokeswoman Suzanne Trevino said in a statement that security directives “are not for public disclosure.”

“TSA’s Office of Inspections is currently investigating how the recent Security Directives were acquired and published by parties who should not have been privy to this information,” the statement said.

My gosh, it's like TSA is doing it's best to replace the Keystone Cops!

Frischling, a freelance travel writer and photographer in Connecticut who writes a blog for the KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, said the two agents who visited him arrived around 7 p.m. Tuesday, were armed and threatened him with a criminal search warrant if he didn’t provide the name of his source. They also threatened to get him fired from his KLM job and indicated they could get him designated a security risk, which would make it difficult for him to travel and do his job.

“They were indicating there would be significant ramifications if I didn’t cooperate,” said Frischling, who was home alone with his three children when the agents arrived. “It’s not hard to intimidate someone when they’re holding a 3-year-old [child] in their hands. My wife works at night. I go to jail, and my kids are here with nobody.”

Oh, no, not the Keystone Cops - try the Nazi SS!

Frischling wrote on his blog that he decided to publish the TSA directive to clear up much of the confusion and speculation that was circulating among the public about changes that were being instituted in airport security procedures after a passenger unsuccessfully tried to ignite a bomb Dec. 25 using a syringe and explosive chemicals hidden in his underwear.

“We are a free society, knowledge is power and informing the masses allows for public conversation and collective understanding,” Frischling wrote on his blog. “You can agree or disagree, but you need information to know if you want to agree or disagree. My goal is to inform and help people better understand what is happening, as well as allow them to form their own opinions.”

You would think that TSA would WANT the traveling public to know about new security measures so there is less confusion and fewer delays at airports. Accurate information also helps keep frustration levels down, because travelers are not surprised with unexpected restrictions and packing requirements.

*sigh*

What a bumbling mass of idiots - but then, look at their "leadership."

God help us.

Related articles by Zemanta

• TSA subpoenas, threatens two bloggers who published security directive (boingboing.net)
• TSA subpoenas bloggers, demands names of sources (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• TSA Subpoenas Bloggers (flightwisdom.com)
• Blake Fleetwood: Exclusive: TSA Seizes Hard Drive from Travel Blogger (huffingtonpost.com)

Can't make an intelligent, reasoned argument for the health care reform debacle? That's OK - just sex it up!

(Via my Cotillion sister, Greta)

Oh, yeah, right! Women have no brains, so they have to use sex and flirting to get others to do what they want. There's no need for point-by-point discussion and rebuttal, all you need to do is ignore the opposing view and lie to anyone who holds it.

Rock the Vote should be ashamed - and where the heck are the feminists? Shouldn't they be up in arms in outrage over the sexism running rampant through this video?

Yep, this pretty much says it all...

via blog.cagle.com

Merry Christmas, America - you've been so wonderful and awesome in electing TehOne™ and his DemonRATic cohorts, that here's a nice smelly, steaming pile called "health care reform" to sit under your tree...