Just listening to Rudy Giuliani on Neil Cavuto. Giuliani is upset about the fed's recent decision to try the terrorists behind the 9/11 attacks as criminals in a court in New York City. Giuliani notes that those committing the attacks regarded themselves as soldiers in the jihad against the US -- their words, their war -- and the US treats them like shoplifters and grants them all the rights and legal protections of US citizenship. The alternative is to try them by military tribunal.
If I were a New Yorker, I think I'd take my vacation to Disneyworld or someplace while the trial is on. And drive there -- don't get in any airplanes.
One of the problems of treating islamic terrorists like criminals -- particularly in finding some other place but Guantanamo to incarcerate them -- is that they have a lot of ruthless friends who may come in the night and burn down the jail and everything and everyone else around it. It's an invitation to loonies like Major Hasan to do their worst, kill and/or blow up as many people as possible. The feds are naming the venue, making it accessible.
It's stupid. Sort of like reading POWs their "rights" before picking them up off the battlefields in Afghanistan. It's an insult to human intelligence. It's typical of this administration.
Giuliani calls it "ideology overcoming common sense." He asks, "Would you try the people who bombed Pearl Harbor in a court in Hawaii?" Yeah. That sounds like a fair assessment.
I do hope that Mayor Bloomberg is recruiting and training additional Bomb Squad personnel and that he'll be roping off the streets around the federal courthouse in New York. Walking through a metal detector won't be quite adequate when dealing with people who regularly employ things like plastic explosives and who have exhibited absolutely no respect for human life.
This is all part of the fictional world-view of the Comrade and his Merry Marxists. What the Comrade doesn't seem to grasp -- or maybe he does -- is that this is a lie created with the sole intent of destroying the USA and other, similar successful free-world nations. It's not a valid ideology based upon reality with the goal of the success of the human race. It's twisted logic devised to use our system of justice and guarantees of freedom to ruin us and the rest of the world.
But, as I said, maybe the Comrade truly does understand this. Perhaps his aim is to wreck the USA and anihilate our individual liberties. I haven't seen anything come out of the White House that would contradict this negative interpretation. Rather, everything the Comrade has done, every policy and legislative proposal he supports looks to be designed to destroy the USA, to undercut its political and economic foundation and internal structure with the purpose of collapsing the whole nation.
Does anyone still support this guy? If so, why?
Maybe the Comrade and his Merry Marxists (his handpicked staff, his loony supporters in congress) should go on trial beside the islamic terrorist. They all seem to be working toward the same end. And I do mean "end."
Friday, November 13, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Thank you, Vets
Well, today is Veterans' Day. And yesterday was the memorial for the soldiers killed at Fort Hood by the islamic-terrorist-disguised-as-a-US-soldier. Apparently Hasan, the lunatic mass murderer, exhibited signs of his craziness, hatred for the US, and allegiance to insane international terrorism, but it would have been politically incorrect for anyone to point out that he was suggesting that Osama bn Ladn was Mohammed reincarnate and was beckoning him from the distant fastnesses of Pakistan to join the jihad.
What I don't understand is, why did Hasan join the Army? Why did he stay in the Army?
His brother said he joined the Army right after high school. The Army paid for his education, and Hasan is a psychiatrist -- pretty expensive education. Or maybe he just wanted to hide in school as long as possible rather than do any kind of work for his benefactor. I know that if the Army gives you that kind of education, you have to agree to serve a certain number of years as pay-back. Hasan is now 39 years old. Wonder how much longer he had to go to earn his education. I'm sure if he'd gone to his superiors and said, "Look, if you don't let me go, I'm going to kill a bunch of people," they probably would have let him out.
I only mention this because some butthead lunatic called Awlaki issued a statement whining about how very difficult it is emotionally for islamic terrorists to serve in the US military.
Well, yeah. I think that may be on purpose. Of course, I could be wrong. And I'm sure loyal US soldiers would be welcomed into al-Qaeda, given a hugely expensive education -- that is, a real education, not just 10 minutes in how to strap on a fishing vest loaded with plastic explosive -- and allowed to serve entirely out of the line of fire, even in wartime.
Why is the USA not allowed to defend itself?
You know, way back in the 1970s I was on a CTA bus in Chicago, riding home from work or something. I was in a seat by myself, reading, as usual. A couple guys shared a seat a couple rows ahead of me. I don't know where they were from. They both looked a little drunk. They were singing this weird music, clearly middle eastern, but I couldn't say what language or anything like that and have no idea what their religion was.
Anyhow, so these guys are singing this very weird and unlovely music, and singing pretty loudly. The bus was about half-full. No one said anything to them. I mean, we also have to listen to rap music (well, if you consider rap to be music) issuing from boom boxes at 110 decibels, so what the heck?
One of these guys looked around. The other guy said something like, "We're bothering everyone."
Guy Number One replied, "Yeah. They don't like it, but they're Americans, so they put up with it."
When do we stop putting up with it? Why do other people feel justified in making all kinds of unreasonable demands upon us? And why do we let them?
Similarly, on the domestic front, was listening to Bill O'Reilly tonight with Dennis Miller. I love Dennis Miller. I think O'Reilly probably likes Dennis because Dennis uses so many big words. Anyway... O'Reilly told Miller that a tax revolt is brewing. "The folks can't take much more," O'Reilly said.
Earlier, O'Reilly tried to goad John Stossel into leading a tax revolt. Stossel said he didn't think a revolt would happen.
I think it will. As a matter of fact, I think Pelosi, Reid, and the Comrade will be getting off light if all that happens is a tax revolt. Maybe that's why the Comrade is so friendly to Chavez, Ortega, and islamic terrorists. He's jockeying for a place of safe harbor for when the Capitol is over-run by rampaging, unemployed taxpayers.
Or are Americans supposed to be less likely to "snap" than islamic-terrorists-hiding-in-the-US-Army?
By the way, wanna buy a house? Rather than just let the bank foreclose, I'm trying to sell. The one thing in my favor is, I'll let it go cheap. (Ha-ha, Lake County tax assessor, take that! I'll bring down property values for the whole damn neighborhood! Then try building your highways to nowhere.) Talking to a real estate agent today, hopefully. Sick of paying the taxes on it, can't afford the necessary maintenance because of the taxes on it -- three times more than the principle I pay monthly -- sick of staying up all night trying to figure out where to get money to pay the bills and buy groceries.
Thanks, Pazzo, Harry & the Comrade. And if you think I can afford to buy insurance, you three are so very disconnected from reality it ain't even funny. Yet, somehow, I would still prefer freedom to the bullshit freebies you-all promise. Rather be dead than lose my freedom. You just can't understand that, can you? And if you don't understand that, the USA is just one big puzzle, isn't it?
Again in the 1970s, July 4, 1976 to be exact, the Bicentennial, I cried during the fireworks. Just couldn't imagine so many people dying for this. For me.
Thanks again, Vets. We owe you one.
What I don't understand is, why did Hasan join the Army? Why did he stay in the Army?
His brother said he joined the Army right after high school. The Army paid for his education, and Hasan is a psychiatrist -- pretty expensive education. Or maybe he just wanted to hide in school as long as possible rather than do any kind of work for his benefactor. I know that if the Army gives you that kind of education, you have to agree to serve a certain number of years as pay-back. Hasan is now 39 years old. Wonder how much longer he had to go to earn his education. I'm sure if he'd gone to his superiors and said, "Look, if you don't let me go, I'm going to kill a bunch of people," they probably would have let him out.
I only mention this because some butthead lunatic called Awlaki issued a statement whining about how very difficult it is emotionally for islamic terrorists to serve in the US military.
Well, yeah. I think that may be on purpose. Of course, I could be wrong. And I'm sure loyal US soldiers would be welcomed into al-Qaeda, given a hugely expensive education -- that is, a real education, not just 10 minutes in how to strap on a fishing vest loaded with plastic explosive -- and allowed to serve entirely out of the line of fire, even in wartime.
Why is the USA not allowed to defend itself?
You know, way back in the 1970s I was on a CTA bus in Chicago, riding home from work or something. I was in a seat by myself, reading, as usual. A couple guys shared a seat a couple rows ahead of me. I don't know where they were from. They both looked a little drunk. They were singing this weird music, clearly middle eastern, but I couldn't say what language or anything like that and have no idea what their religion was.
Anyhow, so these guys are singing this very weird and unlovely music, and singing pretty loudly. The bus was about half-full. No one said anything to them. I mean, we also have to listen to rap music (well, if you consider rap to be music) issuing from boom boxes at 110 decibels, so what the heck?
One of these guys looked around. The other guy said something like, "We're bothering everyone."
Guy Number One replied, "Yeah. They don't like it, but they're Americans, so they put up with it."
When do we stop putting up with it? Why do other people feel justified in making all kinds of unreasonable demands upon us? And why do we let them?
Similarly, on the domestic front, was listening to Bill O'Reilly tonight with Dennis Miller. I love Dennis Miller. I think O'Reilly probably likes Dennis because Dennis uses so many big words. Anyway... O'Reilly told Miller that a tax revolt is brewing. "The folks can't take much more," O'Reilly said.
Earlier, O'Reilly tried to goad John Stossel into leading a tax revolt. Stossel said he didn't think a revolt would happen.
I think it will. As a matter of fact, I think Pelosi, Reid, and the Comrade will be getting off light if all that happens is a tax revolt. Maybe that's why the Comrade is so friendly to Chavez, Ortega, and islamic terrorists. He's jockeying for a place of safe harbor for when the Capitol is over-run by rampaging, unemployed taxpayers.
Or are Americans supposed to be less likely to "snap" than islamic-terrorists-hiding-in-the-US-Army?
By the way, wanna buy a house? Rather than just let the bank foreclose, I'm trying to sell. The one thing in my favor is, I'll let it go cheap. (Ha-ha, Lake County tax assessor, take that! I'll bring down property values for the whole damn neighborhood! Then try building your highways to nowhere.) Talking to a real estate agent today, hopefully. Sick of paying the taxes on it, can't afford the necessary maintenance because of the taxes on it -- three times more than the principle I pay monthly -- sick of staying up all night trying to figure out where to get money to pay the bills and buy groceries.
Thanks, Pazzo, Harry & the Comrade. And if you think I can afford to buy insurance, you three are so very disconnected from reality it ain't even funny. Yet, somehow, I would still prefer freedom to the bullshit freebies you-all promise. Rather be dead than lose my freedom. You just can't understand that, can you? And if you don't understand that, the USA is just one big puzzle, isn't it?
Again in the 1970s, July 4, 1976 to be exact, the Bicentennial, I cried during the fireworks. Just couldn't imagine so many people dying for this. For me.
Thanks again, Vets. We owe you one.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
What a difference a year makes
Occurs to me that it's a year since the Comrade was elected. Of course, he didn't take office until Jan. 20, but this time last year I was -- even then -- reeling in disbelief, worried about what the hell was going to happen to the country. So what has happened? Let's review.
We're still hearing that it's all Bush's fault. Hey, you know what? The question is not "How did we get into this mess?" The question is "What are you doing about it?"
The answer? Spend astronomical sums of money that will cripple free enterprise and keep the US in hock down to the 3rd and 4th generations. Is that acceptable?
I do believe for the 2010 election, the Democrat plan is to try to re-activate the under-21 vote -- those green recruits who've never had to pay their own rent and can afford to believe in pie-in-the-sky obamanomics as long as they're still parasites living off their parents. And now they can stay on their parents' insurance policies, as dependents, until they're 27 years old.
When I was 18, my mom told me I had to start paying rent or move out. I relished the idea of independence. But that was another generation. We didn't wear helmets to ride bikes, either, ate dirt, and stayed outside until the street lights came on, or later if we could get away with it. Life was an adventure. No more. Now the idea is to shelter and protect against life and its uncertainties.... With the result that you create only more and unknowable uncertainties and your kids do not have the personal resources to deal with any of it. All they're capable of is whining to Uncle Sam for a hand-out.
Illegal aliens represents another fertile field for enlisting Democrat voters. Especially the newly-arrived, who likely don't speak much English and who aren't much familiar with US traditions. They hear Democrat war cry: "Hop aboard the gravy train!" It's a call to action that's hard to resist.
Did I leave anything out? Are you feeling more hopeful and optimistic about the USA? What about your kids? What are they going to do after you're gone? With an education consisting of chanting praises of the Comrade and listening to horror stories about "Global Warming." Likely they'll end up huddled in caves and worshiping totems.
Wasn't it Reagan who asked, "Are you better off now than you were four years ago?" And just think, back in those days, it took four years to dismantle the prosperity of the republic. Now it's only been one year.
So, are you better off now than you were one year ago? Better prospects? More hope? More opportunity? Is government more accessible and transparent? Are they doing what you want them to do? Or has government become the power-drunk 800-lb gorilla in the room, smashing everything up as it staggers and collapses, threatening to take you with it.
Just think about it.
- The useless government-sponsored boondoggles, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were bailed out at citizen expense, yet they continue to totter toward collapse since their clientele have no jobs and cannot pay their mortgages.
- Some of the largest capital investment firms in the nation were allowed to fail, the decision about who remained standing apparently determined by how close you are to Tim Geithner; Goldman Sachs has a leg up.
- Approximately 105 smaller banks have been closed -- and that number grows almost daily.
- Unemployment has gone from 7.2% to 10.2%.
- The federal government passed an astonishingly expensive ($787 billion) so-called Stimulus bill that has accomplished nothing perceivable, except to prop up the employment of marginal state government payrollers, making it virtually impossible for the states to cut their expenses. In fact, most will see higher ongoing expenses due to the stimulus package. They will probably have to raise taxes, since printing more currency is not an option for them.
- The House passed a useless and astonishingly expensive energy bill, now stalled in the Senate. If passed, this bill will probably end up doubling the cost of energy across the nation, and the cost of everything produced by energy (i.e. everything.)
- The House passed an actually destructive and frightening 2000-page socialized medicine bill that may compel many health care professionals to leave the field while accelerating demand for their services. And, just as Baby Boomers begin to retire in droves, they will find that the specious security blanket Medicare has provided has been pulled out from under them.
- All this garbage legislation has re-energized the political right, but their high-volume, orderly protests have fallen on deaf ears. The federal government is apparently so dead-set on seizing control of every detail of every citizen's life, they don't want to know that we'd all rather see them burning in hell.
- The Comrade in the White House seems to have sailed off into outer space somewhere, touching down to earth only to make a speech here and there to promote some new, useless, destructive and crushingly expensive socialist Five-Year Plan. Liberal media are scambling to preserve some "good" in him. His rockstar charisma begins to fail, and he doesn't seem to have any other resources to fall back on.
- Judging by recent -- almost daily -- news reports of attacks and bombings in Afghanistan, soon the war will wind down -- simply because all US soldiers will be killed through attrition, and with no support or reinforcement coming to them.
- Oh, and let's not forget that private citizens are going nuts and shooting each other, desperate to pin the blame on someone for the shambles their lives have become.
- Economic growth remains elusive, as small businesses -- the engine of economic growth -- are faced with continuing threats of monumental increases in their tax burden. Who wants to expand when any growth will be sucked up by local, state, and federal taxes and regulatory diktats?
- And, of course, there's the impending (if not predictable) bankruptcy of the USA and its impact on international markets. Pretty soon the dollar will be worth less than the paper it's printed on. This is good for the sale of exports, but also means the demise of the nation both economically and politically. What is that smell? The New World Odor?
We're still hearing that it's all Bush's fault. Hey, you know what? The question is not "How did we get into this mess?" The question is "What are you doing about it?"
The answer? Spend astronomical sums of money that will cripple free enterprise and keep the US in hock down to the 3rd and 4th generations. Is that acceptable?
I do believe for the 2010 election, the Democrat plan is to try to re-activate the under-21 vote -- those green recruits who've never had to pay their own rent and can afford to believe in pie-in-the-sky obamanomics as long as they're still parasites living off their parents. And now they can stay on their parents' insurance policies, as dependents, until they're 27 years old.
When I was 18, my mom told me I had to start paying rent or move out. I relished the idea of independence. But that was another generation. We didn't wear helmets to ride bikes, either, ate dirt, and stayed outside until the street lights came on, or later if we could get away with it. Life was an adventure. No more. Now the idea is to shelter and protect against life and its uncertainties.... With the result that you create only more and unknowable uncertainties and your kids do not have the personal resources to deal with any of it. All they're capable of is whining to Uncle Sam for a hand-out.
Illegal aliens represents another fertile field for enlisting Democrat voters. Especially the newly-arrived, who likely don't speak much English and who aren't much familiar with US traditions. They hear Democrat war cry: "Hop aboard the gravy train!" It's a call to action that's hard to resist.
Did I leave anything out? Are you feeling more hopeful and optimistic about the USA? What about your kids? What are they going to do after you're gone? With an education consisting of chanting praises of the Comrade and listening to horror stories about "Global Warming." Likely they'll end up huddled in caves and worshiping totems.
Wasn't it Reagan who asked, "Are you better off now than you were four years ago?" And just think, back in those days, it took four years to dismantle the prosperity of the republic. Now it's only been one year.
So, are you better off now than you were one year ago? Better prospects? More hope? More opportunity? Is government more accessible and transparent? Are they doing what you want them to do? Or has government become the power-drunk 800-lb gorilla in the room, smashing everything up as it staggers and collapses, threatening to take you with it.
Just think about it.
House toadies pass socialized medicine
CLICK HERE FOR THE ROLL CALL VOTE
or cut'n'paste: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll887.xml
-- just in case the link doesn't work.
Make your own copy and bring it with you to your Polling Place next year.
The House passed its bloated socialized medicine bill by a vote of 220 - 215. Pazzo Pelosi gloated over it for a while. I didn't watch her. I can't stand seeing her rat-like teeth anymore. I just want to slap her face and see if there is anything at all behind the plastic. (I mean, beside more plastic.)
I almost did watch, though. I was sitting there, concentrating real hard, focusing all my psychic attention on the thought of her tripping over the steps to the podium, falling down, cracking her head, and her brains falling out. I visualized it in great detail, hoping if I concentrated long enough, I could make it happen.
Earlier, as Pazzo swept majestically through someplace I tried to convey the same thought psychically, and one of her idiot bodyguards or someone actually tripped on something and almost fell down, so it thought it might work. Just have to perfect my psychic aim.
Anyway, I'd just gotten off work and was hungry, so instead of waiting for Madama Butthead to show up, I went out and got a bag of potato chips. Got to keep my priorities in order.
If they can have magic economics and socialized medicine Utopia, I guess I can project a psychic death ray.
Anyway, 220 - 215 is not a very impressive showing, considering the size of the majority in the House. Something like 39 democrats voted against it. One republican voted in favor, but he's supposed to be not much more than a place-holder, like zero, replacing some other congresscritter who's in jail right now (where most of them really belong). The bill is not going to get through the Senate, so this is all just a waste of time. However, it keeps the congresscritters busy and prevents them from making a larger mess of other industries that they also don't know anything about.
One vote that is not surprising is the "Aye" from my congressional rep, Melissa Bean. I assumed she would vote with the democrats. However, through this whole issue, Ms. Bean has shown herself to be a truly gutless, spineless and worthless legislator. Here's why:
She didn't have any town hall meetings, just teleconferences with a select few people -- no doubt cogs from the state's democrat machine, her donors, and any other person she might feel beholden to for her office. Not ordinary citizens, however. No... we don't count. I do think she had something like a "tea," invitation-only, and she refers to that as her "town hall." Maybe she really doesn't know the difference between open discourse and sycophants kissing your butt. One more reason not to extend her stay in Washington -- too easy to manipulate.
Bean was initially leaning in favor of socialized medicine, then issued a statement saying she really hadn't made up her mind. Bullshit, you know? She just didn't want to have to defend her position after seeing the strong negative reaction her cohorts in the House were getting at their town hall meetings. She didn't want to actually think hard enough to come up with any positive reason for supporting socialized medicine -- and God knows, that's a tough one, because there really are no positive reasons for supporting it. But Bean quite obviously has no guts, and clearly no conviction behind her position. She probably just asks Pelosi which button to hit or obeys directives from some clown from Cook County.
Because of that -- her refusal to take a stand and defend it -- I have absolutely no respect for Melissa Bean at all and I don't think weak-kneed addlepated powder puffs like her should even volunteer to represent other people. She hasn't got the spine for it, and clearly not the brains, either. She certainly isn't capable of representing me.
Start looking for another job, kiss-up. Maybe after the 2010 election, ol' Pazzo will invite you to S.F. and you can help her scare the crows off her vineyards or skim the scum off her pool. You really aren't wanted back in Illinois.
or cut'n'paste: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll887.xml
-- just in case the link doesn't work.
Make your own copy and bring it with you to your Polling Place next year.
The House passed its bloated socialized medicine bill by a vote of 220 - 215. Pazzo Pelosi gloated over it for a while. I didn't watch her. I can't stand seeing her rat-like teeth anymore. I just want to slap her face and see if there is anything at all behind the plastic. (I mean, beside more plastic.)
I almost did watch, though. I was sitting there, concentrating real hard, focusing all my psychic attention on the thought of her tripping over the steps to the podium, falling down, cracking her head, and her brains falling out. I visualized it in great detail, hoping if I concentrated long enough, I could make it happen.
Earlier, as Pazzo swept majestically through someplace I tried to convey the same thought psychically, and one of her idiot bodyguards or someone actually tripped on something and almost fell down, so it thought it might work. Just have to perfect my psychic aim.
Anyway, I'd just gotten off work and was hungry, so instead of waiting for Madama Butthead to show up, I went out and got a bag of potato chips. Got to keep my priorities in order.
If they can have magic economics and socialized medicine Utopia, I guess I can project a psychic death ray.
Anyway, 220 - 215 is not a very impressive showing, considering the size of the majority in the House. Something like 39 democrats voted against it. One republican voted in favor, but he's supposed to be not much more than a place-holder, like zero, replacing some other congresscritter who's in jail right now (where most of them really belong). The bill is not going to get through the Senate, so this is all just a waste of time. However, it keeps the congresscritters busy and prevents them from making a larger mess of other industries that they also don't know anything about.
One vote that is not surprising is the "Aye" from my congressional rep, Melissa Bean. I assumed she would vote with the democrats. However, through this whole issue, Ms. Bean has shown herself to be a truly gutless, spineless and worthless legislator. Here's why:
She didn't have any town hall meetings, just teleconferences with a select few people -- no doubt cogs from the state's democrat machine, her donors, and any other person she might feel beholden to for her office. Not ordinary citizens, however. No... we don't count. I do think she had something like a "tea," invitation-only, and she refers to that as her "town hall." Maybe she really doesn't know the difference between open discourse and sycophants kissing your butt. One more reason not to extend her stay in Washington -- too easy to manipulate.
Bean was initially leaning in favor of socialized medicine, then issued a statement saying she really hadn't made up her mind. Bullshit, you know? She just didn't want to have to defend her position after seeing the strong negative reaction her cohorts in the House were getting at their town hall meetings. She didn't want to actually think hard enough to come up with any positive reason for supporting socialized medicine -- and God knows, that's a tough one, because there really are no positive reasons for supporting it. But Bean quite obviously has no guts, and clearly no conviction behind her position. She probably just asks Pelosi which button to hit or obeys directives from some clown from Cook County.
Because of that -- her refusal to take a stand and defend it -- I have absolutely no respect for Melissa Bean at all and I don't think weak-kneed addlepated powder puffs like her should even volunteer to represent other people. She hasn't got the spine for it, and clearly not the brains, either. She certainly isn't capable of representing me.
Start looking for another job, kiss-up. Maybe after the 2010 election, ol' Pazzo will invite you to S.F. and you can help her scare the crows off her vineyards or skim the scum off her pool. You really aren't wanted back in Illinois.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Another day, another shooting
Well, I guess everyone has heard about the "Fort Hood Massacre" by now. Very sad. Tragic. I couldn't figure out at first how one guy with two hand guns could shoot more than 40 people in a couple of minutes and without having to reload, but there it is.
I'm glad the Army worked so hard to keep him alive, so that he can be interviewed and serve as a case study. Usually, lunatic killers go down with their victims. Often by choice. Or maybe usually by choice, or they wouldn't start shooting in the first place.
And now today, a crazy in Orlando, Fla. I don't even know what happened exactly, just that this guy was apparently fired from his job and decided to get even.
Remember a couple months ago, the nursing home killings, and that nutcase at the Holocaust Museum, and the killing of the Army recruiter in Arkansas? I think I advised then, "Get used to it." That hasn't changed. There's too much pressure building. We're all getting squeezed from every direction.
So your life starts going to hell in a handbasket. Nothing you can do to stop it. You lose your job, can't pay for the house or the car. Lenders are unforgiving and taxes and prices keep going up. It's like nickel-and-diming you to death. How are you going to put your kids through college? Where are you going to go when you lose the house?
Hmmmm, who's behind all this? Where did it all go wrong?
Everyone finds their own explanation, their own object of blame. Even the White House does this. According to them, the world was a virtual paradise until George W. Bush took office and now we may never recover. I think it's time the White House begin accepting responsibility for making things worse and start working on some real-world solutions instead of promoting its pie-in-the-sky socialist agenda, but I don't think that's going to happen any time soon. They seem to spend more time "making honest errors" in counting up all those jobs the Stimulus bill "saved or created." Anyone else who did that kind of accounting would be in jail. Maybe they should consider hiring a laid-off professional who actually understands how to count. FYI, Comrade: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.... You have to keep it pretty much in that order.
At any rate, I keep losing work, can barely pay my mortgage. Now I get a county property tax assessment that's pure fantasyland. Really, what the county thinks my house is worth is based on recent sales at a new "luxury" subdivision down the street. My house is 50 years old and the gutters are falling down. Only half the plumbing is copper. The furnace is 20 years old. The fair market value according to the county is easily about 25% - 30% more than I would even dream of asking for with a straight face.
I called the county and asked them if they hadn't heard about some serious reversals in the mortgage and real estate industries. "Well, of course, ma'am, but our assessments are based on home sales from 2006 - 2008."
Oh. I get it. If they go by what's happening now, they'd have to decrease assessed values and couldn't collect as much in taxes, so they do the assessments based on inflated home values from banner years. Yeah. Makes perfect sense. After all, they have to pay for the ongoing road and sewer construction being done for subdivisions that have been canceled due to market conditions. I understand. They have all those voters on the county payroll to support.
That's Lake County, Illinois, just to put the blame where it belongs. Yeah, lots of rich people up here along the lakefront, but the vast majority are just working stiffs trying to make a living. And we bought homes up here because it was way cheaper than Chicago and Cook County.
The only question is: How in the world does the county expect homeowners to pay even more in taxes?
How in the world do Pazzo Pelosi and Harry Reid and the Comrade expect people to pay even more in taxes for crappy, rationed health care, electricity, bonuses for Tim Geithner's friends at the ever-expanding Goldman Sachs, and on and on and on?
So, pick a target and come out shooting. Apparently for some people, that seems like a plan. And death to them looks like a preferable alternative than continuing the never-ending struggle against the nightmare that has become life in America.
So, once again I say, "Get used to it." If you go out in public frequently, you might want to look into some kind of body armor. Americans are instinctively unwilling to "go gently into that good night" of marxist-socialist oppression.
And a hearty "Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!" for those heroic people who were at the Capitol yesterday trying to defeat the House's socialized medicine bill. I heard that many of the concresscritters they tried to talk to disappeared... kinda like the way cockroaches scurry away when you turn on the lights.
All of my "representatives" are socialist nutjobs -- that's Dick(head) Durbin, Roland Burris, and Melissa Bean. Even if I did go to Washington, it would be a waste of time talking to them. Although I still do the occasional email just to keep up my typing skills. I don't think they pay any attention, too busy sucking up to Pazzo and the Comrade, apparently hoping for a better assignment in the parking lot or whatever.
Just can't wait for the 2010 elections.
I'm glad the Army worked so hard to keep him alive, so that he can be interviewed and serve as a case study. Usually, lunatic killers go down with their victims. Often by choice. Or maybe usually by choice, or they wouldn't start shooting in the first place.
And now today, a crazy in Orlando, Fla. I don't even know what happened exactly, just that this guy was apparently fired from his job and decided to get even.
Remember a couple months ago, the nursing home killings, and that nutcase at the Holocaust Museum, and the killing of the Army recruiter in Arkansas? I think I advised then, "Get used to it." That hasn't changed. There's too much pressure building. We're all getting squeezed from every direction.
So your life starts going to hell in a handbasket. Nothing you can do to stop it. You lose your job, can't pay for the house or the car. Lenders are unforgiving and taxes and prices keep going up. It's like nickel-and-diming you to death. How are you going to put your kids through college? Where are you going to go when you lose the house?
Hmmmm, who's behind all this? Where did it all go wrong?
Everyone finds their own explanation, their own object of blame. Even the White House does this. According to them, the world was a virtual paradise until George W. Bush took office and now we may never recover. I think it's time the White House begin accepting responsibility for making things worse and start working on some real-world solutions instead of promoting its pie-in-the-sky socialist agenda, but I don't think that's going to happen any time soon. They seem to spend more time "making honest errors" in counting up all those jobs the Stimulus bill "saved or created." Anyone else who did that kind of accounting would be in jail. Maybe they should consider hiring a laid-off professional who actually understands how to count. FYI, Comrade: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.... You have to keep it pretty much in that order.
At any rate, I keep losing work, can barely pay my mortgage. Now I get a county property tax assessment that's pure fantasyland. Really, what the county thinks my house is worth is based on recent sales at a new "luxury" subdivision down the street. My house is 50 years old and the gutters are falling down. Only half the plumbing is copper. The furnace is 20 years old. The fair market value according to the county is easily about 25% - 30% more than I would even dream of asking for with a straight face.
I called the county and asked them if they hadn't heard about some serious reversals in the mortgage and real estate industries. "Well, of course, ma'am, but our assessments are based on home sales from 2006 - 2008."
Oh. I get it. If they go by what's happening now, they'd have to decrease assessed values and couldn't collect as much in taxes, so they do the assessments based on inflated home values from banner years. Yeah. Makes perfect sense. After all, they have to pay for the ongoing road and sewer construction being done for subdivisions that have been canceled due to market conditions. I understand. They have all those voters on the county payroll to support.
That's Lake County, Illinois, just to put the blame where it belongs. Yeah, lots of rich people up here along the lakefront, but the vast majority are just working stiffs trying to make a living. And we bought homes up here because it was way cheaper than Chicago and Cook County.
The only question is: How in the world does the county expect homeowners to pay even more in taxes?
How in the world do Pazzo Pelosi and Harry Reid and the Comrade expect people to pay even more in taxes for crappy, rationed health care, electricity, bonuses for Tim Geithner's friends at the ever-expanding Goldman Sachs, and on and on and on?
So, pick a target and come out shooting. Apparently for some people, that seems like a plan. And death to them looks like a preferable alternative than continuing the never-ending struggle against the nightmare that has become life in America.
So, once again I say, "Get used to it." If you go out in public frequently, you might want to look into some kind of body armor. Americans are instinctively unwilling to "go gently into that good night" of marxist-socialist oppression.
And a hearty "Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!" for those heroic people who were at the Capitol yesterday trying to defeat the House's socialized medicine bill. I heard that many of the concresscritters they tried to talk to disappeared... kinda like the way cockroaches scurry away when you turn on the lights.
All of my "representatives" are socialist nutjobs -- that's Dick(head) Durbin, Roland Burris, and Melissa Bean. Even if I did go to Washington, it would be a waste of time talking to them. Although I still do the occasional email just to keep up my typing skills. I don't think they pay any attention, too busy sucking up to Pazzo and the Comrade, apparently hoping for a better assignment in the parking lot or whatever.
Just can't wait for the 2010 elections.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Can you hear us now?
So, the Comrade spent lots of time in New Jersey, and as it turns out, the race wasn't even close. The Republican, Christie, won by at least 100,000 votes last time I looked.
In Virginia, the Republican won by something like 12% or more.
In that bizarre race in New York's 23rd Congressional Dist., a guy no one ever heard of until a month ago, and who pretty much forced out the "moderate" Republican, lost the race, but only by about 4,000 votes, last time I looked. Not a bad showing, though still a loss.
But I suppose all the congresscritters on Capitol Hill were busy behind closed doors creating more expensive and unwanted legislation, so they couldn't care less about any of this.
Remember good ol' Tip O'Neil? "All politics is local." He has a point.
Harry Reid, who's actually not polling well in his home state of Nevada, now says that the Senate needs to do some more tinkering or something with the Senate version of socialized medicine, so the bill probably won't get through the Senate until after Christmas. English translation: He doesn't have the votes.
Here's another thing.... putting off legislation for the "next session" is kinda like what the Chi-Town Cubbies do every year about post-season play. But I'm sure people like the Comrade and his Merry Marxists won't let Reid totally shelve the bill. No, they're going for total humiliation.
Meanwhile, Pazzo Pelosi is calling for a vote on the House socialized medicine bill this week sometime. That's the now 2,000+ page bill that people are still reading. So soon after the slaughter of Election Day, Pazzo? She really is a couple bricks short of a load, isn't she? But go ahead, then we'll be rid of it.
I must say, I really love America. I mean, Washington can pretty much go to hell, but there's 300 million non-politicians out here who really do get it, and who aren't prepared to give it up just yet.
I love you guys!
Do you suppose now a big wave of honest government will sweep across the nation? Well, let's not get carried away.... I really can't picture Illinois cleaning up its act. Without corruption and cronyism, I don't think Illinois politicians would really know how to behave.
In Virginia, the Republican won by something like 12% or more.
In that bizarre race in New York's 23rd Congressional Dist., a guy no one ever heard of until a month ago, and who pretty much forced out the "moderate" Republican, lost the race, but only by about 4,000 votes, last time I looked. Not a bad showing, though still a loss.
But I suppose all the congresscritters on Capitol Hill were busy behind closed doors creating more expensive and unwanted legislation, so they couldn't care less about any of this.
Remember good ol' Tip O'Neil? "All politics is local." He has a point.
Harry Reid, who's actually not polling well in his home state of Nevada, now says that the Senate needs to do some more tinkering or something with the Senate version of socialized medicine, so the bill probably won't get through the Senate until after Christmas. English translation: He doesn't have the votes.
Here's another thing.... putting off legislation for the "next session" is kinda like what the Chi-Town Cubbies do every year about post-season play. But I'm sure people like the Comrade and his Merry Marxists won't let Reid totally shelve the bill. No, they're going for total humiliation.
Meanwhile, Pazzo Pelosi is calling for a vote on the House socialized medicine bill this week sometime. That's the now 2,000+ page bill that people are still reading. So soon after the slaughter of Election Day, Pazzo? She really is a couple bricks short of a load, isn't she? But go ahead, then we'll be rid of it.
I must say, I really love America. I mean, Washington can pretty much go to hell, but there's 300 million non-politicians out here who really do get it, and who aren't prepared to give it up just yet.
I love you guys!
Do you suppose now a big wave of honest government will sweep across the nation? Well, let's not get carried away.... I really can't picture Illinois cleaning up its act. Without corruption and cronyism, I don't think Illinois politicians would really know how to behave.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
If you don't have a Vietnam, create one?
I wrote a little about this about a week ago (Congress's Piggy Bank, Oct. 17, 2009), but am starting to get really worried now about the US's position in Afghanistan.
I'm not sure I understand this situation. The US sent troops to Afghanistan about eight years ago now to clear out the Taliban, who were harboring al-Qaeda camps and leaders. And it was pretty easy to clear out that band of thieves. The bigger war in Iraq pretty much took priority, but with that wrapping up now, attention returns to Afghanistan. Actually, the Comrade said during the presidential campaign that Afghanistan was the only war that really counted.
So now, after approving a "surge" strategy in March and appointing General McChrystal to implement it, the Comrade has been hemming and hawing over committing more troops for going on.... three months now?
Meanwhile, anyone else noticed that over the last month, and the last week in particular, that the Taliban and friends have stepped up the violence? Much of this may be directed at Pakistan, but if the Pakistanis force the Taliban back into Afghanistan, will the Taliban meet with any effective resistance there? I mean, if the Comrade doesn't send McChrystal the troops he believes he needs?
Meanwhile, the US sends diplomats to an allies' meeting in Eastern Europe (where the US has just backed out of a missile defense system that had been planned) to beg for troops and support in Afghanistan. Before the Comrade has decided on whether or not the US is really committed. I'm sure they'll be more than willing to deploy, when the US might back out at any moment, depending upon which side of the bed the Comrade wakes up on.
Is this making any sense to anyone? I said before, the Comrade was leaving US troops in Afghanistan for the Taliban to use for target practice. Still looks that way. And exactly what more information does the Comrade need to make a decision?
Was he hoping our allies would absolutely compel us to commit 40,000 more troops, as McChrystal has recommended? Maybe he was hoping they would pat us on the back and say, "Good ol' Unca Sam, you've done enough. Let us take over." I mean, the Europeans hosted numerous, extremely bloody terrorist attacks for 30 years and did nothing about it on their own (Munich, Rome, Lockerbie, etc.). They seem to prefer to tolerate unexpected and random bombings and hi-jackings to getting off their big fat butts and defending themselves. It wasn't until 9/11 and the US stepping up to the plate that al-Qaeda met with any kind of forceful resistance. Does the Comrade expect Europe to take the lead now? (Actually, I believe the UK has sent more men, without the Comrade's decision.)
I admit, I don't know much more about military tactics than I've learned studying the Civil War. But I can tell you one that thing happened over and over again during the Civil War with usually disastrous results.
Often the commanders had very little on-the-field intelligence. No radios or satellites or anything -- although they did try a hot air balloon once -- and messengers could be killed before reaching headquarters. Often the generals found a hill, a rooftop, or a church steeple and watched the action from there. Or they put signalmen up there and they flagged back messages.
In addition, during the Civil War, as now and at any time, most military commanders are protective of their men. They don't want to "waste" them -- and take that any way you want. They're generally careful about engaging unless they must to defend, or unless they simply have no other option but to attack. You usually lose more men when you attack than when you defend.
One recommended tactic (by Colin Powell, among others) is to attack in force, with about twice as many men as you expect the enemy has. You try to overwhelm the enemy. However, in many Civil War battles, the commander might have been uncertain of his intelligence, or simply didn't want to lose his army. He sent his people in "piece-meal." A couple regiments at a time.
Often what happened is that they were overwhelmed, slaughtered, and the commander then sent in another couple of regiments, who were overwhelmed and slaughtered. The casualties were astronomical. And little ground gained. (And I mean, astonomical: 23,000 dead and wounded at Antietam in one day. 52,000 dead and wounded at Gettysburg over three days. 12,000 at Second Manassas. 13,000 at Shiloh.)
Many Vietnam Vets claim that this is what happened in Vietnam. Though we had hundreds of thousands of troops there, there were few "pitched battles," but tons of losses from things like stepping on poisoned spikes or hits by other weapons traps, or small, bloody skirmishes that came not-quite by surprise. The Vets say if the US had gone in full-force, taken the initiative instead of putting ourselves on the defensive, we could have won. Who's to say? We weren't trying to conquer North Vietnam, only keep South Vietnam independent.
The one thing that occurs to me about this is that sending troops to Afghanistan in a piece-meal fashion is only setting up for failure. And in this case, failure means the useless death of our soldiers, maybe 20,000 at a time. It seems that the Comrade is creating another Vietnam when there is a more effective way to attack, and with an actual chance of winning -- McChrystal's strategy.
Of course, the Comrade has to deal with his rabid-left fan club, who are generally reluctant to fight for their own rights and freedoms -- they think holding hands and sharing a Coke would work just as well -- and who are, in fact, happy to hand their freedom and security over to whomever promises them a free ride -- free health care, free education, free mortgage... whatever. Maybe these voters believe deep in their hearts that al-Qaeda is willing to do just this? Maybe al-Qaeda would govern us better? Or do they believe al-Qaeda is just going to slink away? No indications of that at all. Not one. Just the opposite.
The White House seems to say that it wants to make sure Afghanistan has a stable and non-corrupt government before we commit more troops. Only, you know what? We aren't in Afghanistan to provide them a stable and non-corrupt government. We're there to kill al-Qaeda and to deny them any place of refuge.
And it seems to me that every day the Comrade delays -- and he may be waiting on the outcome of several elections in the US, too, just to see which way the political wind is blowing -- he puts US troops in more danger. It's no doubt very important for the Comrade to do numerous fund-raisers and supportive appearances for fellow Democrats in local elections, but I'd rather he was in the White House, acting like a President instead of in New Jersey, acting like a cheerleader.
'Course, that's just me.
I'm not sure I understand this situation. The US sent troops to Afghanistan about eight years ago now to clear out the Taliban, who were harboring al-Qaeda camps and leaders. And it was pretty easy to clear out that band of thieves. The bigger war in Iraq pretty much took priority, but with that wrapping up now, attention returns to Afghanistan. Actually, the Comrade said during the presidential campaign that Afghanistan was the only war that really counted.
So now, after approving a "surge" strategy in March and appointing General McChrystal to implement it, the Comrade has been hemming and hawing over committing more troops for going on.... three months now?
Meanwhile, anyone else noticed that over the last month, and the last week in particular, that the Taliban and friends have stepped up the violence? Much of this may be directed at Pakistan, but if the Pakistanis force the Taliban back into Afghanistan, will the Taliban meet with any effective resistance there? I mean, if the Comrade doesn't send McChrystal the troops he believes he needs?
Meanwhile, the US sends diplomats to an allies' meeting in Eastern Europe (where the US has just backed out of a missile defense system that had been planned) to beg for troops and support in Afghanistan. Before the Comrade has decided on whether or not the US is really committed. I'm sure they'll be more than willing to deploy, when the US might back out at any moment, depending upon which side of the bed the Comrade wakes up on.
Is this making any sense to anyone? I said before, the Comrade was leaving US troops in Afghanistan for the Taliban to use for target practice. Still looks that way. And exactly what more information does the Comrade need to make a decision?
Was he hoping our allies would absolutely compel us to commit 40,000 more troops, as McChrystal has recommended? Maybe he was hoping they would pat us on the back and say, "Good ol' Unca Sam, you've done enough. Let us take over." I mean, the Europeans hosted numerous, extremely bloody terrorist attacks for 30 years and did nothing about it on their own (Munich, Rome, Lockerbie, etc.). They seem to prefer to tolerate unexpected and random bombings and hi-jackings to getting off their big fat butts and defending themselves. It wasn't until 9/11 and the US stepping up to the plate that al-Qaeda met with any kind of forceful resistance. Does the Comrade expect Europe to take the lead now? (Actually, I believe the UK has sent more men, without the Comrade's decision.)
I admit, I don't know much more about military tactics than I've learned studying the Civil War. But I can tell you one that thing happened over and over again during the Civil War with usually disastrous results.
Often the commanders had very little on-the-field intelligence. No radios or satellites or anything -- although they did try a hot air balloon once -- and messengers could be killed before reaching headquarters. Often the generals found a hill, a rooftop, or a church steeple and watched the action from there. Or they put signalmen up there and they flagged back messages.
In addition, during the Civil War, as now and at any time, most military commanders are protective of their men. They don't want to "waste" them -- and take that any way you want. They're generally careful about engaging unless they must to defend, or unless they simply have no other option but to attack. You usually lose more men when you attack than when you defend.
One recommended tactic (by Colin Powell, among others) is to attack in force, with about twice as many men as you expect the enemy has. You try to overwhelm the enemy. However, in many Civil War battles, the commander might have been uncertain of his intelligence, or simply didn't want to lose his army. He sent his people in "piece-meal." A couple regiments at a time.
Often what happened is that they were overwhelmed, slaughtered, and the commander then sent in another couple of regiments, who were overwhelmed and slaughtered. The casualties were astronomical. And little ground gained. (And I mean, astonomical: 23,000 dead and wounded at Antietam in one day. 52,000 dead and wounded at Gettysburg over three days. 12,000 at Second Manassas. 13,000 at Shiloh.)
Many Vietnam Vets claim that this is what happened in Vietnam. Though we had hundreds of thousands of troops there, there were few "pitched battles," but tons of losses from things like stepping on poisoned spikes or hits by other weapons traps, or small, bloody skirmishes that came not-quite by surprise. The Vets say if the US had gone in full-force, taken the initiative instead of putting ourselves on the defensive, we could have won. Who's to say? We weren't trying to conquer North Vietnam, only keep South Vietnam independent.
The one thing that occurs to me about this is that sending troops to Afghanistan in a piece-meal fashion is only setting up for failure. And in this case, failure means the useless death of our soldiers, maybe 20,000 at a time. It seems that the Comrade is creating another Vietnam when there is a more effective way to attack, and with an actual chance of winning -- McChrystal's strategy.
Of course, the Comrade has to deal with his rabid-left fan club, who are generally reluctant to fight for their own rights and freedoms -- they think holding hands and sharing a Coke would work just as well -- and who are, in fact, happy to hand their freedom and security over to whomever promises them a free ride -- free health care, free education, free mortgage... whatever. Maybe these voters believe deep in their hearts that al-Qaeda is willing to do just this? Maybe al-Qaeda would govern us better? Or do they believe al-Qaeda is just going to slink away? No indications of that at all. Not one. Just the opposite.
The White House seems to say that it wants to make sure Afghanistan has a stable and non-corrupt government before we commit more troops. Only, you know what? We aren't in Afghanistan to provide them a stable and non-corrupt government. We're there to kill al-Qaeda and to deny them any place of refuge.
And it seems to me that every day the Comrade delays -- and he may be waiting on the outcome of several elections in the US, too, just to see which way the political wind is blowing -- he puts US troops in more danger. It's no doubt very important for the Comrade to do numerous fund-raisers and supportive appearances for fellow Democrats in local elections, but I'd rather he was in the White House, acting like a President instead of in New Jersey, acting like a cheerleader.
'Course, that's just me.
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