Isikoff: Gonzales Gone But Not Forgotten - Newsweek National News - MSNBC.com

Isikoff: Gonzales Gone But Not Forgotten - Newsweek National News - MSNBC.com: "But the departure won’t stop an aggressive internal Justice probe into last year’s mass firings of U.S. attorneys that many insiders expect to produce, at a minimum, a damning public report about how Gonzales handled the process. The investigation (headed by the department’s respected inspector general, Glenn Fine) has already turned up new documents and e-mails about the purge that have not been made public and that are inconsistent with previous Justice Department statements, according to a key witness who was recently interviewed by the investigators and was shown the material. (The witness asked not to be publicly identified while the probe is ongoing.)"

This one is for JPO... it is good to see another example of cronyism gone badly... Gonzalez, Brown, and Meiers are all demonstrations of unqualified friend-o-crats' performing poorly in the DC Big Leagues. As it turns out, there are real subject matter experts who dedicate their lives to a particular profession and tend to rise to the occasion when duty calls. The Bush administration largely ignored such professionals when making major bureaucratic selections, and the ridiculous Gonzalez scandal is another result. If the Dems are smart, however, they will drop the endless stream of investigations and get back to real policy work. You know, balancing the budget, reducing federal entitlements, deregulating health care, and preventing diversions of transportation and social security funds are among a few topics needing attention.

The Warrantless Debate Over Wiretapping - New York Times

The Warrantless Debate Over Wiretapping - New York Times: "For this purpose, warrants are utterly beside the point. As Judge Richard Posner has put it, “once you grant the legitimacy of surveillance aimed at detection rather than at gathering evidence of guilt, requiring a warrant to conduct it would be like requiring a warrant to ask people questions or to install surveillance cameras on city streets.” Warrants, which originate in the criminal justice paradigm, provide a useful standard for surveillance designed to prove guilt, not to learn the identity of people who may be planning atrocities."

Thanks to John O'Connor for this submission. We've had some long and interesting discussions on this, and it is satisfying to see more bipartisan unity there.

The War as We Saw It - New York Times

The War as We Saw It: "As responsible infantrymen and noncommissioned officers with the 82nd Airborne Division soon heading back home, we are skeptical of recent press coverage portraying the conflict as increasingly manageable and feel it has neglected the mounting civil, political and social unrest we see every day. (Obviously, these are our personal views and should not be seen as official within our chain of command.) The claim that we are increasingly in control of the battlefields in Iraq is an assessment arrived at through a flawed, American-centered framework. Yes, we are militarily superior, but our successes are offset by failures elsewhere. What soldiers call the “battle space” remains the same, with changes only at the margins. It is crowded with actors who do not fit neatly into boxes: Sunni extremists, Al Qaeda terrorists, Shiite militiamen, criminals and armed tribes. This situation is made more complex by the questionable loyalties and Janus-faced role of the Iraqi police and Iraqi Army, which have been trained and armed at United States taxpayers’ expense.... In the end, we need to recognize that our presence may have released Iraqis from the grip of a tyrant, but that it has also robbed them of their self-respect. They will soon realize that the best way to regain dignity is to call us what we are — an army of occupation — and force our withdrawal."

A bitching GI is a happy GI... I can't help wondering if the NY Times would print an article by troops from the 82nd who support our policy (as I am sure make up the majority of the troops)? No. Probably not. They couldn't be "responsible infantrymen and noncommissioned officers" could they?

Does America Deserve Its Leadership Role?

The debate America needs: "Does the United States deserve to exercise a degree of global leadership after the disaster of Iraq? If so, how should it wield this leadership? These are not surprising questions to anyone who has watched the disaster of Iraq unfold before their eyes. But within the American foreign policy community, this is unsettling stuff. Since the end of the cold war, the assumption of global leadership has been so deeply ingrained in the bipartisan foreign policy consensus that few critics, if any, believed it was possible that one catastrophic error could make things fall apart."


This nonsense reminds me of that famous conversation from Casablanca:


Major Strasser: You give him credit for too much cleverness. My impression was that he's just another blundering American.

Captain Renault: We mustn't underestimate American blundering. I was with them when they blundered into Berlin in 1918.

GOP Revolution: It's a Wrap

GOP Revolution: It's a Wrap | The American Prospect: "The pendulum has swung, the Republican revolution is over, and every day the list of battered and retreating combatants continues to grow. This was a big week: Former House Speaker Denny Hastert and former GOP House Conference Chair Deborah Pryce announced their retirements. And, of course, 'boy genius' and Friend-in-Chief Karl Rove, the general who was to consolidate all the Revolution's gains into a singular enduring triumph, cried uncle and announced that he, too, would leave the White House for the warmth of more time with his family. Rove leaves before Labor Day, before the Petraeus report, before the president's new strategy in Iraq has had a chance to work, and before the Great GOP Realignment. Exeunt Hastert, Pryce, and Rove. The end.... I can look back and pinpoint the beginning of the end. The guesses and gambles with which the administration approached Iraq, and its mind-numbing lethargy and incompetence on Katrina are the depth charges that blew the façade apart. But it was Social Security that started the fire."

Rumors of his demise are greatly exaggerated. Mr. Samuel coins the term "Bushism" as he extols its collapse. Unfortunately, Mr. Samuel is incorrect on two counts.

First, "Bushism" is nothing new in the full panoply of American history. His administration blends Jeffersonian, Wilsonian, Hamiltonian, and Jacksonian policy in degrees varied issue by issue. Jefferson sent the US Navy to war against radical Islamic terrorists of the high seas in the Mediterranean. Wilson invaded Russia to support democratic counter-Soviet revolutionaries, and invaded Mexico in an attempt to foster civilization there. Bush also shows elements of Hamiltonian and Jacksonian flare in his view of economic and military instruments of power. No, "Bushism" is not extraordinary, nor is "Bushism" at an end. These ideas will continue to play important roles in future administrations. In fact, much like the Reagan and Truman administrations, history will likely remember President Bush in a much higher regard than the "instant history" of polling. Bush may have lost a pot or two, but he stands to win the tournament.

Second, Mr. Samuel's characterizations of Iraq and Katrina are woefully deficient. Images of a flooded school bus fleet and revelations over time about state and local government folly have largely vindicated the federal government's handling of the Katrina disaster. Likewise, time will reveal the verities of our Iraq activities as Iran's complicity in the unrest is made known coupled with the defeat of Al Queda in the region. Just as few strategic gaffes of WWII come to mind in contemporary memory, so will few remember Iraq's mistakes in the future. 8 decades ago the British created the issue called Iraq, and 8 decades hence this war will be viewed for what it is: a necessary and unavoidable confrontation between the forces of construction and the forces of deconstruction. "Bushism" is no facade, but a construct on firm footing.

Mr. Samuels is correct about one thing, though. Social Security played a major role in garnering opposition for Mr. Bush. When that foolhardy program comes home to roost in 40 years, Bush's failed effort to revamp the system may be remembered favorably as the system goes bankrupt. The 'Greatest Generation' left its great grandchildren quite a mess to deal with, and Bush was one of the few who saw it and tried to clean it up at his own peril.

Padilla Conviction Leaves Unanswered Questions

Padilla Conviction Leaves Unanswered Questions - Newsweek National News - MSNBC.com: "Padilla had been arrested at a Chicago airport in May 2002, after returning to the country from Pakistan via Switzerland. One month later, armed with sketchy (and what turned out to be disputed) intelligence that he had been dispatched by Al Qaeda to set off a dirty bomb inside the United States, President Bush in one stroke of the pen essentially declared Padilla an “unperson,” a man with none of the basic constitutional rights that is guaranteed to every other U.S. citizen. As an enemy combatant, who Bush said posed a “continuing, present and grave danger” to the country, Padilla was to be held indefinitely without being charged with a crime or given any right to defend himself while the U.S military interrogated him."

The Left has precious few remaining arguments against the current administration's handling of terrorists, but this is the one you'll probably hear most often. This dubious argument intentionally omits key facts. First of all, the "unperson" claim is an appeal to Habeas Corpus "rights." In fact, Habeas Corpus is not a right but a privilege under the Constitution, and it is subject to revocation. "The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it." According to this principle, public safety and preservation of society trump individual liberties under certain cases of arrest of dangerous actors. Second, the fact of WWII precedent is omitted. The USA captured German spies in the US during the war, and the FDR administration "in one stroke of the pen" secretly remanded the spies to a trial by a special tribunal of 7 US Generals who sentenced several of them to death, one to life in prison, and others to decades in prison. I'd wager few on the Left would ever remind us of FDR's secret pen-stroke precedents.

KILLING FOR CONGRESS

KILLING FOR CONGRESS By RALPH PETERS: "The bombings were a sign of al Qaeda's frustration, desperation and fear. The victims were ethnic Kurd Yazidis, members of a minor sect with pre-Islamic roots. Muslim extremists condemn them (wrongly) as devil worshippers. The Yazidis live on the fringes of society. That's one of the two reasons al Qaeda targeted those settlements.... the second reason for those dramatic bombings was that al Qaeda needs to portray Iraq as a continuing failure of U.S. policy. Those dead and maimed Yazidis were just props: The intended audience was Congress.... The foreign terrorists slaughtering the innocent recognize that their only remaining hope of pulling off a come-from-way-behind win is to convince your senator and your congressman or -woman that it's politically expedient to hand a default victory to a defeated al Qaeda."

Padilla Convicted of Terrorism Support

Padilla Convicted of Terrorism Support: "U.S. officials said Padilla, while incarcerated in a military brig in South Carolina, admitted exploring the dirty bomb plot. But that evidence could not be used at trial because he was not read his rights and did not immediately have access to an attorney."

Paulson sees more bad news ahead - Aug. 16, 2007

Paulson sees more bad news ahead - Aug. 16, 2007: "WASHINGTON (Fortune) -- Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson predicts that the 'current strained situation' in the markets 'will take time to play out, and more difficult news will come to light. Some investors will take losses, some organizations will fail,' he says in remarks that will appear in the forthcoming issue of Fortune. But, he stresses, global economic fundamentals remain healthy, providing a solid base for financial markets to continue to adjust. 'The overall economy and the market are healthy enough to absorb all this,' he notes."

Breaking news from 1922: 'Arctic Ocean Getting Warm; Seals Vanish and Icebergs Melt.'

Inside the Beltway -- The Washington Times, America's Newspaper: "D.C. resident John Lockwood was conducting research at the Library of Congress and came across an intriguing Page 2 headline in the Nov. 2, 1922 edition of The Washington Post: 'Arctic Ocean Getting Warm; Seals Vanish and Icebergs Melt.' The 1922 article, obtained by Inside the Beltway, goes on to mention 'great masses of ice have now been replaced by moraines of earth and stones,' and 'at many points well-known glaciers have entirely disappeared.' 'This was one of several such articles I have found at the Library of Congress for the 1920s and 1930s,' says Mr. Lockwood. 'I had read of the just-released NASA estimates, that four of the 10 hottest years in the U.S. were actually in the 1930s, with 1934 the hottest of all.'"

Ames Results

AMES: The Romney Victory

Gov Mitt Romney won the 2007 Ames straw poll, receiving 4516 votes, or 31%.
In a surprise, Gov. Mike Huckabee finished second with 2587 votes at 18.1%
11. John Cox with 41 votes. 

10. John McCain with 101 votes.

9. Duncan Hunter with 174 votes.

8. Rudy Giuliani with 183 votes.

7. Fred Thomson with 203 votes.

6. Tommy Thompson, 1,039 votes, 7.3%

5. Ron Paul with 1305 votes, and 9.1%

4. Tom Tancredo with 1961 votes, 13.7%.

3. Sen. Sam Brownback with 2192 votes and 15.3%

Iowa Dispatch: Instant Analysis

AMES -- The instant analysis would seem to show two very clear winners: Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee. The two former governors took 31.5% and 18.1% respectively, and both are spinning the poll as nothing but a complete win.
For Romney, who occupied the same tent space George W. Bush did in 1999 and duplicated his results almost identically, the results were a vindication of the high expectations placed on his campaign. For Huckabee, the second-place win came after having spent little money and organizing much less than Romney, Senator Sam Brownback and others.

Bush, Sarkozy hail strong US-France bond

KENNEBUNKPORT, United States (AFP) - US President George W. Bush and his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy affirmed their countries' friendship Saturday ahead of a casual lunch, a "heart-to-heart talk" and a brisk boat ride that could signal a new era of closer ties.

Damaged Brands

"On the eve of the Iowa GOP's straw poll here -- the political event which traditionally kicks off contested Republican presidential races -- Romney's concern about his party’s damaged brand in the wake of the Bush years was on obvious display, along with some hints about his strategy for dealing with it."

The "Brand" could use a little boost in marketing.  Tax cut results, no attacks since 9/11, respect for life, and diplomatic successes in Europe and the world.  Heck, even France elected a leader who wants to be our friend and vacations in the USA.  That's huge, folks, and none of this is coincidental.  It is also not a result of the "Brand X" of politics: the contrary Dems.

Military Shows Gains in Iraq

Analysis: Military Shows Gains in Iraq: "The new U.S. military strategy in Iraq, unveiled six months ago to little acclaim, is working. In two weeks of observing the U.S. military on the ground and interviewing commanders, strategists and intelligence officers, it's apparent that the war has entered a new phase in its fifth year. It is a phase with fresh promise yet the same old worry: Iraq may be too fractured to make whole. No matter how well or how long the U.S. military carries out its counterinsurgency mission, it cannot guarantee victory. Only the Iraqis can. And to do so they probably need many more months of heavy U.S. military involvement. Even then, it is far from certain that they are capable of putting this shattered country together again....

EDITOR'S NOTE—AP Military Writer Robert Burns, on his 18th reporting trip to Iraq since the start of the war in 2003, has written about U.S. military involvement in Iraq and the Middle East since the 1991 Gulf War, mostly from his base in Washington."

The Al Qaeda Reader

"All aggregations of people around an irrational basis have in common, that their ideology in the end consists of a series of objections and rejections. They reject factual reality and the logical systems that describe it. They do not substitute a logical system of their own, because they don't need one, and it would be impossible to construct one anyway. Any attempt to construct a coherent theory would only produce a shambles. Objections against other ideas suffice. That they are 'so heterogeneous, so mind-bogglingly unfocused' does not matter. The motto of the irrationalist is 'Just say No!' The question is, what does Al-Qaida actually reject? Every indication suggests that ultimately, they reject our form of 'modern society'; the type of secularized, liberalized, gender-equal, religion-neutral, human-rights-based society that radiates out from the rich west and finds followers everywhere.... I think it is defensible to say that Al-Qaida hates freedom, in the liberal sense of the word. The modern usage of the term 'liberal' dates back to the early 19th century when political debate raged in the Spanish Cortes in Cadiz, in the part of Spain not occupied by the French, and the political left, those who rejected the feudalism of the old regime, were called liberales. The right-wing groups of the time were dubbed serviles, 'the slavish ones', because their political ideal was the absolutist reign of king Fernando VII. They were traditionalists who wanted to keep royal absolutism, the fiscal privileges of the nobility, the supremacy of the Catholic church, and even the inquisition.

It is probably best to think of Al-Qaidas leaders as serviles. They are traditionalist radicals. Their political dreams hark back to a golden age that never existed -- That is the irrationality of it.

The rank and file, of course, are likely to have their own very diverse motivations, and many recruits would just as likely fight under another banner, if that gave them an opportunity to take revenge for their grievances. Fighting an intellectual battle with Al-Qaida is probably rather pointless."

-- Mutatis Mutandis

RealClearPolitics - Articles - Why the Democrats Caved

RealClearPolitics - Articles - Why the Democrats Caved: "Several members from swing districts -- including Reps. Heath Shuler of North Carolina and Patrick J. Murphy of Pennsylvania -- expressed openness to having Congress stay in town to fight if important constitutional issues were at stake. But the moment passed. Even some very liberal Democrats worried about the political costs of blocking action before the summer recess. That Saturday night, the House sent the president a bill that, as a disgusted Rep. David Wu (D-Ore.) put it, with just a touch of exaggeration, 'makes Alberto Gonzalez the sheriff, the judge and the jury.' Most Democrats opposed the bill, but 41 (including Shuler) voted yes, allowing it to pass. (Murphy remained passionately opposed.)"

Demagoguery League is in season...

A Scott Beauchamp Update

A Scott Beauchamp Update: "Part of our integrity as journalists includes standing by a writer who has been accused of wrongdoing and who is not able to defend himself. But we also want to reassure our readers that our obligations to our writer would never trump our commitment to the truth. We once again invite the Army to make public Beauchamp's statements and the details of its investigation--and we ask the Army to let us (or any other media outlet, for that matter) speak to Beauchamp. Unless and until these things happen, we cannot fairly assess any of these reports about Beauchamp--and therefore have no reason to change our own assessment of Beauchamp's work. If the truth ends up reflecting poorly on our judgment, we will accept responsibility for that. But we also refuse to rush to judgment on our writer or ourselves."

Mark Kirk - Bankrolling Iran - washingtonpost.com

Mark Kirk - Bankrolling Iran - washingtonpost.com: "While the World Bank is part of the U.N. family, the bank's board is disconnected from the policies of key U.N. agencies -- especially the Security Council and the IAEA. The United States remains the top investor in the World Bank, contributing $950 million in 2006 and $940 million this year. In June the House of Representatives approved another $950 million. Meanwhile, the bank will disburse $220 million to Iran this year, with more than $870 million in the pipeline for 2008, 2009 and 2010. Presidents Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Bush all certified that Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism. The Treasury Department's Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence spends considerable effort locating Iranian assets to freeze."

Will Bush Tax Cuts Get Due Credit?

"The Treasury Department reported on Friday that the government produced a deficit of $157.3 billion for the the budget year that began last Oct. 1. That's a substantial improvement from the red ink figure of $239.6 billion produced for the corresponding 10-month period last year. The lower year-to-date deficit was the result of a record of $2.12 trillion in revenues. Spending, however, was higher — $2.27 trillion, which also marked an all-time high. The White House predicts that the deficit this year drop to $205 billion. But the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office predicts the government will produce even less red ink this year. It recently said the deficit will be 'toward the lower end' of a $150 billion to $200 billion range."

Doubts About the Dems: Can They Govern?

RealClearPolitics - Articles - Doubts About the Dems: Can They Govern?: "The so-called full-time legislature departed for their annual, monthlong, paid vacation with its Democratic leaders crowing about its achievements. But their mediocre midterm record, with all of their political hyperventilating aside, shows they accomplished little and left behind a pile of pork-filled appropriations bills, a mountain of unfinished work on problems ranging from energy to health care and a poisonous political atmosphere. 'The president has signed virtually nothing because virtually nothing has gotten to his desk,' remarked Missouri Rep. Roy Blunt, the second-ranking House Republican."

Bush Poll Numbers Rise With Progress Reports From Iraq

Bush Poll Numbers Rise With Progress Reports From Iraq: "Even some critics of President Bush's Iraq war policies are conceding there is evidence of recent improvements from a military standpoint. But Bush supporters and critics alike agree that these have not been matched by any noticeable progress on the political front."

The Schip Revelation

The Schip Revelation: "Schip was created as a program that needs to be reauthorized every decade; the House plan makes it a permanent entitlement. Schip was supposed to help the uninsured; the House plan is consciously designed to 'crowd out' private coverage and replace it with federal welfare. The bill goes so far as to offer increasing 'bonus payments' to states as they enroll more people in their Schip programs. To grease the way, the bill re-labels 'children' as anyone under 25, and 'low income' as up to 400% above the poverty level, or $82,600 for a family of four. As if this all weren't blunt enough, the House's Schip bill also includes a new tax on private insurance policies. Assessed at $375 million in its first year and increasing thereafter, this so-called 'fair-share' tax will fund a new government agency to study the 'comparative effectiveness' of certain medical treatments and kinds of insurance. Unremarked is that health insurance is already more expensive than it needs to be because of mandates like this one. To finance its Schip largesse, the House would eviscerate Medicare Advantage, an innovative 2003 program that allows seniors to choose among various private health plans. It's growing rapidly and currently serves some 8.3 million seniors, or about 18% of the eligible population."

How Much More Left Lunacy Will Americans Tolerate?

Bill O’Reilly: "The reason the Democratic candidates are making these foolish decisions is that they see the mainstream press actively rooting for the far left to succeed in America. Talking Points could not find one media account of the Kos convention that even criticized their vile postings, grossly insulting people like Senator Joseph Lieberman. The bias is disgusting."

The man has a point.

Potential Flaw Is Found in Design of Fallen Bridge

Potential Flaw Is Found in Design of Fallen Bridge - New York Times: "Investigators have found what may be a design flaw in the bridge that collapsed here a week ago, in the steel parts that connect girders, raising safety concerns for other bridges around the country, federal officials said today.... Crews were doing work on the deck of the Interstate 35W bridge when it gave way, hurling rush-hour traffic into the Mississippi River and killing at least five people.... Federal authorities indicated that one added stress on the gusset plates may have been the weight of construction equipment and nearly 100 tons of gravel on the bridge, where maintenance work was proceeding when the collapse occurred. A construction crew had removed part of the deck with 45-pound jack hammers, in preparation for replacing the 2-inch top layer, and that may also have altered the stresses on the bridge, some experts said."

Terror-nomics?

Steven D. Levitt* promotes terrorist ideas on his NY Times Blog, and asks for readers' help in coming up with more terrorist schemes... as a public service:

"I’d start by thinking about what really inspires fear. One thing that scares people is the thought that they could be a victim of an attack. With that in mind, I’d want to do something that everybody thinks might be directed at them, even if the individual probability of harm is very low. Humans tend to overestimate small probabilities, so the fear generated by an act of terrorism is greatly disproportionate to the actual risk. Also, I’d want to create the feeling that an army of terrorists exists, which I’d accomplish by pulling off multiple attacks at once, and then following them up with more shortly thereafter... I’m sure many readers have far better ideas. I would love to hear them. "

Freak, indeed.

*Of Freakonomics fame.

Stocks Rise as Risk Worries Fade

Today's Markets - WSJ.com: "The stock market prefers certainty, according to the old saw, and it thrived amid greater certainty on Wednesday, with the Federal Reserve's rate decision on the books and signs of steadiness appearing in the mortgage arena."

Winter Soldier Syndrome

RealClearPolitics - Articles - Winter Soldier Syndrome: "'The investigation is complete and the allegations from PVT Beauchamp are false,' Major Steven Lamb, a spokesman for Multi National Division-Baghdad, told USA Today. The New Republic is standing by Beauchamp's work. But Michael Goldfarb, online editor and blogger at The Weekly Standard who first challenged Beauchamp's writing, reported Monday that Beauchamp had 'signed a sworn statement admitting that all three articles he published in the New Republic were exaggerations and falsehoods -- fabrications containing only 'a smidgen of truth,' in the words of our source.'"

Apocalypse Fowl... Full Metal Racket... Now is the Winter of Our Discount Tent... "The lunch lady gets stronger while I get weaker." I can't wait for that movie.

Bush Still Wields the Threat of Terrorism - New York Times

Bush Still Wields the Threat of Terrorism - New York Times: "In interviews, Democratic leaders and their aides acknowledged being outmaneuvered by the White House, which they accused of negotiating in bad faith, and portrayed the bill as a runaway train. Both sides agree that after a series of briefings by Michael McConnell, director of national intelligence, on potential threats to the nation and what he saw as crucial gaps in the surveillance law, they agreed to work together on a new set of provisions before the August recess."

A hint of more positive news

A hint of more positive news for the Bush admininstration - Gallup Guru - USATODAY.com:

"Now – in the data just about to be released from our weekend poll – Bush's approval rating has recovered slightly to 34%. That’s not a big jump, but it is the second consecutive poll in which the president’s numbers have been higher rather than lower.

Also, we are seeing a slight uptick in the percentage of Americans who say the “surge” in Iraq is working."

Propaganda Redux

OpinionJournal - Featured Article:

"Take it from this old KGB hand: The left is abetting America's enemies with its intemperate attacks on President Bush....

I spent decades scrutinizing the U.S. from Europe, and I learned that international respect for America is directly proportional to America's own respect for its president."

Andrew C. McCarthy on FISA Courts on National Review Online

Andrew C. McCarthy on FISA Courts on National Review Online: "For nearly two years since the New York Times blew the NSA’s warrantless-surveillance program, the Left has transfigured itself into a whirling dervish of indignation over President Bush’s imperious trampling of “the rule of law.” The president’s constitutional authority is inviolable — it cannot be reduced by mere legislation. When Congress passes a statute, like FISA, that purports to reduce the president’s constitutional authority, it is Congress, not the president, that is trampling the rule of law. A president who ignores such a statute is not a law-breaker; he is a defender of the highest law."

Daily Kos: Sad and ridiculous

Daily Kos: Sad and ridiculous: "We didn't flinch from our position on the war. We held the line on social security, even as the Very Serious People told us it was irresponsible. We championed Dean when we were told it would kill the party. We championed Lamont when we were told it would cost us the Senate. We celebrated Nancy Pelosi when we were told we would be demonized as 'San Francisco liberals'. And we won in 2006." -- Markos Moulitsas, Daily Kos

Oh, boy. You might be laughing about this one 10 years from now... remember Michael Dukakis?

Beauchamp Recants

The Weekly Standard: "Separately, we received this statement from Major Steven F. Lamb, the deputy Public Affairs Officer for Multi National Division-Baghdad:

An investigation has been completed and the allegations made by PVT Beauchamp were found to be false. His platoon and company were interviewed and no one could substantiate the claims.

According to the military source, Beauchamp's recantation was volunteered on the first day of the military's investigation. So as Beauchamp was in Iraq signing an affidavit denying the truth of his stories, the New Republic was publishing a statement from him on its website on July 26, in which Beauchamp said, 'I'm willing to stand by the entirety of my articles for the New Republic using my real name.'"

Looks like the Daily Kirk got it right earlier this week. Listen to Michael Yon and accept no imitations!

Tons of Repaving Material Was on Bridge at Collapse

Tons of Repaving Material Was on Bridge at Collapse - New York Times: "The chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, Mark V. Rosenker, said investigators had questioned employees of Progressive Contractors Inc., which was doing work on the bridge deck, regarding quantities of various materials, specific equipment they had put on the bridge, and where the materials and equipment were on the bridge. The weight and location will be entered into a computer program, Mr. Rosenker said, to calculate the stresses generated on each girder and other bridge components."

Progressive Contracting, Inc.??! I'll bet this story gets buried almost overnight if there is any implication that a group of Progressive Contractors contributed to the collapse of this bridge. This is stranger than fiction!

Remember Worries About Global Cooling?

Remember Worries About Global Cooling? - Newsweek

" In April, 1975... NEWSWEEK published a small back-page article about a very different kind of disaster... the threat was: global cooling.... In fact, the story wasn't 'wrong' in the journalistic sense of 'inaccurate'.... the tools scientists have at their disposal now—vastly more data, incomparably faster computers and infinitely more sophisticated mathematical models—render any forecasts from 1975 as inoperative as the predictions being made around the same time about the inevitable triumph of communism."

This conclusion is as amusing as it is prescient. One can imagine the counterpart article in 2029 explaining how global warming didn't quite work out like they predicted, and how that doesn't make them 'wrong' about global climate. Newsweek's unabashed excuse making is as unapologetic as the weatherman who got the weekly forecast wrong. Until climatologists can tell us with certainty what next week holds, we should remain skeptical of what they tell us next decade, century, or millennium holds.

The Dumbest Move the Dems Could Make

The Dumbest Move the Dems Could Make

"If any administration since President Richard M. Nixon's has committed high crimes and misdemeanors, surely it's this one; if lying about consensual sexual activity fit the bill, then surely lying about the reason for a war does, too. As Dave Lindorff and Barbara Olshansky argue in their indignant book 'The Case for Impeachment,' the bill of indictment goes far beyond Bush's grave lies about Iraq. There's also the arrest and detention without trial of U.S. citizens, the violation of international treaties such as the Geneva Conventions at the prisons at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and the 'blatant violation' of the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and the Fourth Amendment 'by secretly authorizing secret warrantless spying on thousands of American citizens by the National Security Agency'.... Bush and Cheney -- and conservatism in general -- have wrecked our civic institutions and darkened our civic impulses. Nothing is beyond politicization... but impeachment is exactly the wrong step to take at exactly the wrong historical moment."

Wow. This opinion article is truly remarkable in both its fabrication and imagination.

1. The 'bill' for high crimes and misdemeanors committed by President Clinton was not simply consensual sexual activity. The President was impeached for perjury relating to an investigation of employee civil rights violation and for obstruction of justice in the employee civil rights investigation including "his corrupt efforts to influence the testimony of that employee" and other witnesses. These crimes resulted in a contempt of court citation and his suspension and ultimate resignation from the bar.

2. Thinking individuals should reject assertions of "grave lies about Iraq." No one has demonstrated proof of deception. To the contrary, the evidence speaks of a bipartisan polity that came to an almost unanimous conclusion about the pretexts for the war, including a regime in violation of the 1991 armistice and 14 UN resolutions including Resolution 1441. The fact of absent WMD in Iraq actually speaks to President Bush's innocence since any preconceived deception most assuredly would have included means to 'plant' evidence to cover the justification.

3. Complaints on Abu Ghraib ignore the fact that the US held accountable those responsible for the abuses there. These activities were the result of abuse and not the product of official policy.

4. Complaints about Gitmo ignore the fact that the International Red Cross has had unfettered access to the facility since the month the prison opened. The Red Cross, et al, objected to the pretense of detention and certain detention conditions based on their own interpretation of the Geneva Conventions--one that grants POW status to those the US considers unlawful combatants--an honest disagreement (and the fact the USA never ratified Protocol I of the conventions). Pres. Bush's interpretation is consistent with previous administrations including FDR's. The torture allegations came largely from former detainees, and these enemies are trained to make inflated and false charges upon release to weaken our morale.

5. The FISA abuse charges were the result of partisan politics--as evidenced by the recent modification of the FISA statute designed to overtly sanction the NSA eavesdropping program.

Finally, most of the civic turmoil and degradation has been the result of media hyperbole and partisanship. Much like the Reagan administration is remembered in an entirely different light 20 years later, the Bush administration will likely be remembered not for this list of loose and unsubstantiated charges but for its accomplishments. Impeachment would be a dumb move largely because it isn't necessary, warranted, or appropriate.

Health Care

Health Care - New York Times:

"The major Democratic candidates are, by and large, proposing to build on this mixed system, shoring up the employer-based segment while expanding public programs for those who fall between the cracks. Some Democratic activists, in fact, are sorely disappointed that the major candidates once again stop short of a true national health insurance program."

Let's not confuse the issue. Certainly one makes valid arguments on the point of this being socialism in thin disguise. However, we should look to performance of services rather than ubiquity of coverage. Universal insurance coverage does not equal universal health care. We've seen the results of deregulation: Ma Bell in 1982, the airline industry in 1978, the rail industry and motor industry in 1980 all brought cheaper prices, better services, and more consumer choice. Government health care amounts to a regulated monopoly of the least efficient kind. That's why Canadians come to the US for urgent care needs and are desperately looking to privatize their ailing health care system. In socialized medicine more kids and poor families may have "coverage" on paper, but the services available to them will be worse at higher public cost. If you think health care is expensive now, just wait until it is free.

How to Look at Iraq

How to Look at Iraq - Swampland - TIME:

Check out this idea:

"Anyone who says 'victory' is possible in Iraq is lying to you. Anyone who says, as Bill Richardson does, that we can and should pull all our forces out by the end of the year is also not telling the truth. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to limit the damage, as we leave, and leave carefully, intelligently, calibrating every step (which means no public timetables or end dates)."

Well, what do you know? In Joe Klein we have a defeatist who persists with the notion that 'leaving' is the best we can hope for. Such ideas never profited this nation. From Korea to Vietnam to the Cold War to the first Gulf War we see that half measures that 'limit damage' only prolong conflict and the loss of life. We live in a world governed by the violent use of force, and peace is a product of victory in the violent realm. Kenneth Waltz correctly refers to this as the anarchy of our world, and in this anarchy only force or the threat of force ensures peace. Either chaotic violence will reign, or the violence that brings liberty will reign. Our opponents bring disorder, mysticism, and darkness. We bring order, civilization, and the light of intellectual liberty. We should look at leaving only in the context of victory and nothing else. And that, Mr. Klein, is no lie. It is the hallmark of America throughout history.

The Turn: Defeatists in retreat.

"As the Wall Street Journal's James Taranto commented: 'Well, two cheers for the paper's diligence, but this also seems to be about as close as we're going to get to an admission of bias: an acknowledgment that those at the Times are flummoxed that the public is not responding the way they expect to all the bad news they've been reporting.' What's striking is that the Times was flummoxed. In the real world, the news from Iraq had been (relatively) good for a couple of months. General David Petraeus's military success had been followed with striking political achievements in Anbar province. At home, a mood of annoyance at the Bush administration's conduct of the war had started to yield to a realization that we were approaching a choice of paths on Iraq, and that the consequences of embracing defeat would be severe. But that's not the world the Times editors live in. In their world, this is a war that should never have been fought and that has long been irretrievably lost--and everyone should simply accept those settled facts."

Well said, well written.

Getting Iraq Wrong

"As a former denizen of Harvard, I’ve had to learn that a sense of reality doesn’t always flourish in elite institutions."

Michael Ignatieff then goes on to solidify this point with his own ongoing example of nonsense. Indeed, he 'gets Iraq wrong' today as he describes getting it wrong 5 years ago. I suggest that is everyone will just be patient and let the military do its job and the state department slouch towards doing its job, this will work out right. The Iraqi people are better off, we are better off, and our enemies are worse off in the long run if we keep chopping this wood. Remember the Barbary Pirates? If so, you probably only think of them in the context of an amusing ride at Disneyland. Such is the fate of Islamic despotic terror. If we continue to fight, this episode will end the same way.

Al Qaeda is guilty of monstrosities in Iraq - no matter what anyone says

From Michael Yon: "I, like everyone else, will have to wait for September's report from Gen. Petraeus before making more definitive judgments. But I know for certain that three things are different in Iraq now from any other time I've seen it.

1. Iraqis are uniting across sectarian lines to drive Al Qaeda in all its disguises out of Iraq, and they are empowered by the success they are having, each one creating a ripple effect of active citizenship.

2. The Iraqi Army is much more capable now than it was in 2005. It is not ready to go it alone, but if we keep working, that day will come.

3. Gen. Petraeus is running the show. Petraeus may well prove to be to counterinsurgency warfare what Patton was to tank battles with Rommel, or what Churchill was to the Nazis.

And yes, in case there is any room for question, Al Qaeda still is a serious problem in Iraq, one that can be defeated. Until we do, real and lasting security will elude both the Iraqis and us."

His is an opinion you can trust. Michael Yon is a sound source of news from the fight. Read his stuff and support him if you can.

House Passes Changes in Eavesdropping Program

"Despite the political risks, many Democrats argued they should stand firm against the initiative, saying it granted the administration far too much latitude to initiate surveillance without judicial review."

Of course, if Congress is serious about taking a stand against surveillance without judicial review, they could start by taking J. Edgar Hoover's name off of all federal buildings including FBI headquarters. He was notorious for domestic surveillance of just about any political figure. Robert Kennedy also approved FBI wiretapping of Martin Luther King, Jr., but Democrats don't talk about that much. Nor do they talk much about the ECHELON program that Democrat leaders, including presidents, have known of and utilized for years. But Dems publicly used low technology means against Rep. John Boehner (R) in the famous Rep. Jim McDermott (D) case. Americans should sleep soundly knowing that no one cares about their personal communications, unless you are a politician or are in contact with known members of AQ.

Beware of sociopaths in politics, experts warn

"Dr. Edgardo Juan Tolentino Jr., executive assistant of the National Mental Health Program of the Department of Health, cited one iconic sociopath who 'charmed and tantalized a whole society,' but on whose ultimate motive the world ended up in much misery."

Good advice.

House approves foreign wiretap bill

"The bill updates the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, known as FISA. It gives the government leeway to intercept, without warrants, communications between foreigners that are routed through equipment in United States, provided that 'foreign intelligence information' is at stake. Bush describes the effort as an anti-terrorist program, but the bill is not limited to terror suspects and could have wider applications, some lawmakers said. The government long has had substantial powers to intercept purely foreign communications that don't touch U.S. soil. If a U.S. resident becomes the chief target of surveillance, the government would have to obtain a warrant from the special FISA court."

The Senate approved this Friday, so the bill now goes to President Bush. I think this is a remarkably sound move that is long overdue. It also reveals that what we witnessed last year on this was largely Democrat hay-making in order to win congressional seats.

Edwards blasts Dow Jones deal - Yahoo! News

"U.S. Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards on Thursday blasted News Corp.'s plan to buy the Wall Street Journal as stifling independent voices and called on rivals to refuse donations from the media conglomerate he says is biased against Democrats."

On the other hand, the New York Times is a bastion of independent voices and has no bias? I'm pretty sure Murdoch can't be much worse than Sulzberger when it comes to bias. But consider this: if Murdoch is so biased against Democrats, why would he have donated to their campaigns? It does not follow that Murdoch is biased against Democrats if he infuses their candidates with cash, does it?

McCain raps Congress for bridge collapse - Yahoo! News

"'We spent approximately $20 billion of that money on pork barrel, earmark projects,' said McCain. 'Maybe if we had done it right, maybe some of that money would have gone to inspect those bridges and other bridges around the country. Maybe the 200,000 people who cross that bridge every day would have been safer than spending $233 million of your tax dollars on a bridge in Alaska to an island with 50 people on it.'"

His Alaska nonsense aside, the Senator makes a fine point when confined to the state of Minnesota. The federal government funds building infrastructure at 80%, and states fund remaining 20% and the upkeep. The federal government can't tell the states how to prioritize their maintenance projects, though. This federalist notion is often lost on our leaders, particularly on the Alaska bridge point. There is absolutely nothing wrong with building a new bridge in order to expand growth and development in an otherwise remote region of our country. Many of our existing bridges and roads were built before the populations they serve today became a reality. Minnesota, on the other hand, had that bridge at such a low position on the priority list that even with a significant increase in maintenance funds would not have resulted in the necessary repairs. Where the Senator is correct, though, is on the matter of earmark projects and their priority. Like this nonsense Rep. Murtha recently wrought.

Clinton slams Bush over law enforcement - Yahoo! News

"'It's really a sad day when the president can find more than $450 billion to wage the war in Iraq but he can't find the money that you need to protect our communities and to have decent wages and working conditions,' [Sen. Hillary Clinton] said."

First, I think Congress funds both of those operations. Second, under the Constitution the federal government's role is to provide for the national defense and not local law enforcement. Third, I've yet to see the price tag for the US aerial occupation of Iraq from 1991 to 2003, but I am pretty sure we burned through a lot of cash drilling holes in the skies over the region 'containing' Hussein. I'd be interested to see an honest comparison of those costs.

House approves new oil company taxes - Yahoo! News

"Declaring a new direction in energy policy, the House on Saturday approved $16 billion in taxes on oil companies, while providing billions of dollars in tax breaks and incentives for renewable energy and conservation efforts."

We are one step closer to gas lines of the 1970s.

Democrats court liberal bloggers

"One thing most bloggers have in common — regardless of their political leanings — is an intense frustration with the political establishment. And so it was a convention dripping in irony when liberal bloggers welcomed the living symbols of the Democratic status quo — seven presidential candidates. ... 'A lot of those lobbyists, whether you like it or not, represent real Americans, they actually do,' [Sen. Hillary] Clinton said, drawing boos and hisses from liberal bloggers at the second Yearly Kos convention."

Irony, indeed. The Nutroots boo the right to petition our government... the stuff of the 1st Amendment!

Lieberman escalates attack on Iraq critics

TheHill.com - Lieberman escalates attack on Iraq critics:

"Lieberman says he is annoyed by the mudslinging on Capitol Hill and Democrats’ unwillingness to work with President Bush. But his critics say he has contributed to that polarization by his rhetoric and refusal to compel Bush to find a new way forward in Iraq.

As Lieberman sees it, however, the Democratic Party has slipped away from its “most important and successful times” of the middle of last century, where it was tough on Communism and progressive on domestic policy."

Air Force doing it right

One Marine's View: Air Force doing it right:

This is a remarkable story worthy of your reading.

A Statement on Scott Thomas Beauchamp

A Statement on Scott Thomas Beauchamp:

"Late last week, the Army began its own investigation, short-circuiting our efforts. Beauchamp had his cell-phone and computer taken away and is currently unable to speak to even his family. His fellow soldiers no longer feel comfortable communicating with reporters. If further substantive information comes to light, TNR will, of course, share it with you."

The New Republic seems begrudged by the Army's public relations policy. The Strategic Private probably should have stuck to his job rather than playing war correspondent. Michael Yon already has that well covered for us.

FOXNews.com - House Devolves Into Verbal Fracas

FOXNews.com - House Devolves Into Verbal Fracas

"The House nearly grinded to a halt Friday as Republicans and Democrats continued to feud over a screwball vote from Thursday and the electronic voting system went down later in the day."

Wasn't too long ago that the word "Plantation" was used by Dems to describe Republican leadership in the House. Sounds as though the progressive leadership has made it more a "slave ship" operation. Could the Democrat leadership be any more churlish and despotic than to avoid pesky parliamentary processes to get the results they want? Hardly.

From Chicago! - Nutroots Candidates' Celebration

I've decided to begin a blog to observe the Nutroot bloggers around the web. We've all seen these guys over at dailykos.com and at other sites, and I think the net is listing to the left a bit. That's right, the weight and balance of the WWW is off. When the Democratic Leadership Council gets snubbed in favor of the Kos Netroots (sic) folks' YearlyKos convention, things are bad. When Progressives take over the Democrat party from the Liberals (yes, there is a difference and P is far left of the L here) and the Nuts from around the web drag the party further left, we have a situation. So, we need to talk. That's what this blog is about. A daily dose of conservative thought. We will talk more about this non-ideology later.