Archive for August, 2009

National Health Care and the Constitution

Monday, August 31st, 2009

Tomorrow I will deal with more fallout from my being accosted by Seth Horowitz of the Luxe Hotel at a Henry Waxman function. Thank you for the support. Today’s discussion is about a unique question being asked about health care itself.

In the ongoing debate over whether to create a government run healthcare program, a new and fascinating debate is starting to take place.

Is the legislation, if passed, illegal?

I broach this train of thought because it is a new argument. Before sharing my own opinion, I was fortunate enough to witness a debate on the subject on the O’Reilly Factor.

Megyn Kelly and Lis Wiehl are part of a segment entitled “Is it legal?”

Megyn Kelly is the conservative and Lis Wiehl is the liberal. Yet neither of them are dummies.

(In an irrelevant tangent, Megyn Kelly is stunningly hot. When she gets angry, she has that Michelle Malkin snarl that makes men want to flip her over their shoulder and go caveman on her.)

Yet on this debate, it was Lis Wiehl that borught up the most interesting angle.

The commerce clause allows the government to regulate interstate commerce. Although a person’s doctor may be local, the medical supplies often come from out of state. Therefore, the government can force people to buy insurance if they choose not to do so.

In California, auto insurance in mandatory. I am unaware of any challenges to the constitutionality of this state law, but it has been the law for some time. If there is a reason why life insurance or health insurance would be treated differently, I am not coming up with that reason.

While I badly want to to see Obamacare defeated, I am also somebody with a deep respect for the law. If this bill gets passed, it will be the law, and if the Supreme Court lets it stand, the discussion should be over.

Liberals are not bound by such constraints because they are not about laws. They are about fairness. They favor equality over legality. This is why California liberals can fight to overturn a ban on gay marriage despite the fact that it passed legally, and was upheld by a court. The left does not care. They are like the baseball team that falls behind 1-0 in a ball game, insists no continuing the game, takes a 2-1 lead, and then decides to end the game. They also do this with elections. All votes must be counted until they take the lead, at which point counting becomes akin to dragging out the process.

Conservatives are hampered because if one is to be a party of laws, emotions such as fairness cannot be factored into decisions.

Obamacare can and should be defeated politically, but I do not see how it can be defeated legally.

If it can, the arguments could be downright dangerous.

Some people claim that Barack Obama is not a citizen. Therefore, his presidency is illegitamite. Furthering down this road, any legislation he gets passed is also tainted.

I am aware that this argument is extreme, but when the legal Pandora’s Box is opened, anything is possible.

While it may seem “unfair” to force people to buy health insurance, conservatives are not about fairness, nor should they be. I hate buying auto insurance. I can’t stand it. Yet the law says I have to do it, so I do it.

This does not mean blindly following the law. It does mean working within the system to see bad laws changed.

Ironically, the same liberals that claim the government can regulate such transactions are the same ones claiming that the government cannot regulate our bodies. This is false. Even the liberals on the Supreme Court in 1974 allowed for restrictions on third trimester abortions. People are not allowed to put illegal drugs into their bodies. One can debate the morality of these laws, but not the legality.

When I say one cannot debate them, I do not mean that they should not be debated. I am simply saying that until or unless a new decision is rendered, the matters are settled law. They must be obeyed until a court states otherwise.

So yes, the government can force people to buy health insurance.

This is another reason to defeat the bill now. It will withstand constitutional scrutiny.

Trying to challenge the legality of the proposal is not the most sensible course of action for opponents.

The solution is to use the political process to either kill the bill outright, or at least strip out the worst provisions.

eric

Raiders Recap–Preseason 2009 Week 3

Sunday, August 30th, 2009

Today should be referred to as “Slamathon Sunday.”

The intramural football team I play on, Slamathon, is good. They are very good. They are ridiculously good.

I will blog about our game yesterday because blogging about the Oakland Raiders will make me ill.

For those interested in the debacle that was the game between the Raiders and the New Orleans Saints, go to Just Blog Baby.

http://www.justblogbaby.com

I will get to the Raiders, but first, Slamathon.

The only thing my teammates do better than play football is drink. I am not a drinker, but I know talent when I see it. They get hammered before the game, drink some more during the game, and then go to the bar to celebrate wins over contests of flip cup and beer pong. These guys are competitors. They want to win at everything, including drinking games.

They are also very good or very bad dancers. As somebody who is not a dancer, I cannot evaluate their skills. Somehow they are able to balance their arms and legs while…yes, drinking. Perhaps that coordination makes them better football players.

They also have creative themes for their games. This week the theme was “Thug Life,” where we all dressed up like gangsta rappers. Shockingly enough, I am not hardcore. My teammates pointed out that my being a Raiders fan meant I should have no trouble with the theme.

Some of the team showed up with one sock up high and one sock down low. The best I could do was a couple pieces of fake jewelry that I think the kids call bling. I also had a baseball cap featuring a happy face with a bullet hole to the head. I have no idea where I obtained the hat.

Before the game there was a spankathon, which may or may not be a traditional football ritual. The men received pregame slaps on their hides from the women. Football is the one career where this is not actionable by a human resources department. Since the Sacramento Queen has parents who shoot guns, I kept my hands to myself.

Oh yeah, and when the drinking, dancing, and spanking was done, we actually played a football game.

We had 10 players, but only 8 take the field at once. 4 girls have to be on the field at all times, yet the entire team was 4 guys and 6 girls. Therefore, the 4 guys could not substitute out. Given the hot sun, it meant the guys would have a long day.

We only led 16-0 because we kept voluntarily giving back touchdowns. This team is so good that we score, the other team complains about something, and the top players on our team say, “Ok fine, we will do the play again. Then we score on the next play. They complain again, we do it again. Personally I would not take the points off of the board, but this team knew what it was doing before I got there.

In the third quarter we took a 24-0 lead, and then things got really interesting. The guys decided to just take the rest of the day off. After all, beer is not in infinite supply. It was me and 6 girls on the field for our team. I could not sub out because I was rushing the passer. Yet we had only 7 people instead of 8.

Now these girls are really good football players. However, a team of all girls normally does not manhandle (or womanhandle) a team of guys. They stopped the other team for most of the game.

We won the game 24-6. As for me, when the game was over, I realized that I played every single snap.

Iron man football is not my thing. I prefer to play a few plays, sit out for long stretches, and recover. So this was a strange occurrence. As exhausted as I was, I did not do that badly. My first pass rush resulted in me batting down the pass. It went right back into the quarterback’s arm. He tried to argue that this counted as a completion, but the referee was having none of it. Later in the game I even had a sack, which is not easy to do in a game where “5 Mississippi” gives plenty of time to the quarterback.

On offense, I did not do any harm.

The team we defeated was “Shake and Bake,” a tribute to the Will Ferrell movie “The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.”

I must really like these guys I play with, because the Raiders game was on at the time of our game. I was tivoing it. When I got to the bar and saw the disaster, I realized that Slamathon may be better than the Raiders. This is not comforting for me.

Like Slamathon, the Raiders did complete a gorgeous touchdown pass. Yet the Raiders were more like Shake and Bake. Shake and Bake scored their touchdown during garbage time when they were down 24-0. The Raiders scored theirs to turn a 45-0 deficit into a furious rally that fell just short at 45-7.

Anyway, enough about Slamathon. No matter how much I brag about them, it is only delaying the inevitable, which is that the Raiders are a silver and black mess.

Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas did not play, so the Saints had their third string running back. It did not matter. Drew Brees played pitch and catch with Jeremy Shockey, and a 10 play 80 yard drive that took 6 1/2 minutes had the Saints up 7-0.

The Raiders started out with JaMarcus Russell throwing a 12 yard pass to Darrius Heyward Bey. The Russell went deep to Zach Miller for a 36 yard gain. Only 2 plays, and the Raiders were at the New Orleans 27. On the third play Russell was belted, fumbled, and the Raiders were done.

Drew Brees tossed a 40 yard touchdown pass to a wide open Devry Henderson to make it 14-0. To add insult to injury, a defensive penalty on the play was declined. The Raiders went three and out, and the Saints got the ball back. Brees was sacked for a large loss, but the Saints quickly got the yardage back. Early in the second quarter, Brees threw another touchdown pass to put the Saints up 21-0. The Raiders had run only 6 offensive plays to that point.

As awful as this game was, Darren McFadden remains a superstar at running back. He ripped off a 22 yard run. Unfortunately, a holding penalty nullified it. On their next series after actually stopping the Saints, Russell rolled out and threw to Louis Murphy, who dropped it. On the next play, a 3rd and 7 throw to Johnny Lee Higgins was high. Higgins was open, and Russell missed him. Russell was 12 for 18, and he was not the reason the team was getting killed.

Mark Brunell came in for Drew Brees, but that did not matter. Oakland was wretched. The run defense was a disaster. Somewhere Rob Ryan was glad to be somewhere else. A sideline interview with Shane Lechler mad me sad because every time he is referred to as the greatest punter in the NFL, it reminds me how far the team has t go to find a superstar worth interviewing. Yes, Lechler is fantastic. Yet bragging about the punter is like a woman looking at a man from top to bottom before complimenting his shoes.

A pass interference penaty on Stanford Routt was followed by a second pass interference call on Routt. He does not seem to be a good football player. Chris Johnson should start opposite Nahmdi Aomugha. Routt is a weak link.

The Saints had two touchdown passes called back by penalties, and a third straight penalty had them facing 3rd and goal at the 27. 45 Year old John Carney kicked a field goal to put the Saints up 24-0. Russell came back and hit McFadden on a nice 12 yard pass, but on the next play, McFadden fumbled, and it was returned to the 6 yard line. It looked like McFadden was down by contact, but the referees were not to blame for a game being 24-0 before that play.

Yet this time the defense did its job. Brunell was intercepted n the end zone. Brees is the starter, but Brunell was not helping himself as the backup. Russell had the Raiders at 3rd and 4 before being sacked, resulting in another 3 and out and another punt.

At the 2 minute warning, Brunell threw a short swing pass. A mistackle by Stanford Routt, who at this point would not make Slamathon, led to a 71 yard gain. Chris Johnson, who should take ROutt’s job, ran down the receiver at the one yard line. The defense did stop the Saints on first down, but on second down the Saints had their 31-0 lead with 1:21 left in the half. That was enough time for Russell to get sacked again. The offensive line has not been good since the 2002 season.

The Saints actually almost caught the Hail Mary near the end of the half, but the last play of the half featured an interception by Chris Johnson, who returned it to midfield. At least one player showed up.

At halftime, the Saints led in first downs 19-3, in rushing yard 92 to 1…yes, one yard…in passing yards 252 to 59, in total yards 344 to 60, and in time of possession 20 1/2 minutes to 9 1/2 minutes. Oh, and they led in points 31-0.

Why they played the second half, I will never know. Perhaps television contracts require this. JaMarcus Russell started the 3rd quarter, and just like on the first drive of the game, he began firing, He hit Zach Miller for 27 yards. It still is frustrating that big plays are followed by big disasters. On 3rd and 12, Russell hit Higgins for what would have been a first down, except Higgins dropped it. The Raiders punted.

On the next series, Russell hit Louis Murphy on a 40 yard gain. Unfortunately, Murphy was stripped of the ball, giving it back to the Saints. The Saints faced 4th and 2 at the Oakland 44, which they converted. At that point they had run 55 plays to 27 for the Raiders. A touchdown run had them up 38-0.

Jeff Garcia came in for Russell. He threw a perfect pass that was dropped. The quarterbacks are not the problem on this team. They can’t make linemen block or receivers catch. Garcia completed passes when he had time, but he was rolling out and running for his life because there was no protection. On 4th and 3 from midfield, Garcia found Murphy for a 30 yard gain to the 20.

Critics of the Raiders say the deep ball is ancient history. The team completed big plays. The problem was not the deep ball. The problem was an inability to finish off drives after completing the long passes. On second and 6 from the 17, the Raiders had a holding penalty to kill the drive.

Joey Harrington, who apparently still plays football, came in at third string for the Saints at quarterback. On 4th and 1 from the Oakland 42, the Saints suffered a false start. Yet they decided to go for it on 4th and 6 form the 47. Of course they converted. Harrington did badly with the Detroit Lions. Then again, everybody does. Harrington played well against the Oakland Raiders. Sadly enough, in the last 6 years, everybody does. On 4th and 8 from the 11, the Saints decided to go for it rather than sit on a 38 point lead. Harrington threw a touchdown pass to make it 45-0.

A 43 yard touchdown pass from Garcia to Jonathan Holland averted the shutout.

Slamathon plays their next game September 12th. We will be ready.

The Raiders host the San Diego Chargers on Monday Night Football on September 14th. As of now, they are not ready.

On September 11th, 2006, the Raiders hosted the Chargers on the first night of Monday Night Football on ESPN. The Raiders lost 27-0. I hope history does not repeat itself.

There is little cause for optimism at this point.

The last time the Raiders were good, Bill Callahan took a team assembled by Jon Gruden to the Super Bowl.

The Monday Night Football game will have Jon Gruden in the broadcast booth.

If the game gets out of hand, he can always brag about Slamathon.

Saints 45, Raiders 7.

eric

Henry Waxman + Link Love Saturday

Saturday, August 29th, 2009

I normally put politics on the back burner on weekends. Despite the fact that I was the victim of political thuggery this past Thursday at a Henry Waxman function, the continuation of the story can wait until Monday.

For those just getting updated, Seth Horowitz, the General Manager f the Luxe Hotel and board member of the West Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, behaved toward me in a most abusive manner. He is hiding behind his lawyers and refusing to explain to me why he targeted me. I honestly do not know. He also accused me of trying to sue the Luxe Hotel.

This is a smokescreen. My beef is with him, not the institution. His boss is the owner of the hotel, and the owner’s executive assistant was very polite and friendly over the telephone.

I believe that it defies logic to assume that Mr. Horowitz acted in a hostile manner toward me for sport. Most likely, he was following instructions from the Waxman people. Simply put, while the official word is that they wanted to target potential problem causers, it seems that they were targeting any registered Republican at their event.

My goal is not to destroy Congressman Waxman. I disagree with him on issues, but he is my opponent, not my enemy. If my investigation exonerates him, I will loudly declare him innocent of wrongdoing. Maybe overzealous members of his staff acted without his knowledge. My goal is simply to get to the truth.

For those who have deluged me with support, I offer thanks. For those that have offered to deluge the Luxe Hotel and Congressman Waxman’s office with phone calls and letters, I implore you all to be polite.

Anger will have a boomerang effect. The goal is not to rip people to shreds. It is to solve a problem. Be courteous, and get your point across.

As for Seth Horowitz, I guess that is why God created Yom Kippur. He has plenty of apologizing to do, and I hope he has the guts to apologize privately to God rather than hide behind lawyers on that end as well.

Anyway, Monday will be here soon enough. Today is a football Saturday. The Oakland Raiders play the New Orleans Saints. More importantly, my football team “Slamathon” has a critical game on the road to the playoffs. I have my game face on. Time to get mad dog mean. Sunday will be a day of recovery physically, and hopefully a day to blog about Raiders and Slamathon victories.

With that, I leave you with some links and events around the country.

Matt Drunk at the Drunk Report. Mr. Drudge has some competition.

http://drunkreport.com

The Constitutional Crawfish

http://www.allmilitary.com/blog/2009/08/28/the-weekend-claw-8-28-09/

Lighthouse Patriot Journal

http://lighthousepatriotjournal.wordpress.com/

Stix 1972

http://topsy.com/twitter/stix1972

Andrew Ian Dodge combines heavy politics with heavy metal music.

http://www.andrewiandodge.com/

The public diplomacy can be improved here.

http://publicdiplomacypressandblogreview.blogspot.com/

Paul Elam just became the editor in chief at Men’s News Daily.

http://mensnewsdaily.com

Saturday, August 29—Ari David for Congress event at the Casting Office in Studio City at 8pm.

http://www.facebook.com/n/?event.php&eid=146504736426&mid=fedd96G28b1de38G659fa65G7

Sunday, August 30—Celebrate Freedom America in Redondo Beach.

http://www.celebratefreedomamerica.com

Tuesday, September 1—Monthly meeting of the San Fernando Valley Republican Club. Dick McDonald of Rise Up America will be speaking.

http://www.sfvrc.org/

Wednesday, September 2—Hollywood Congress of Republicans in Burbank.

http://republican.meetup.com/549/calendar/10859814/

Wednesday, September 2—The Westside Republicans will be protesting outside Dianne Feinstein’s Los Angeles office at 11111 Santa Monica Blvd. at 6pm to counter a protest by Moveon.org. Contact Daphne Turban for details.

http://www.westsiderepublicans.com

Thursday, September 10—I will be speaking to the Tri-Valley Peninsula Women’s Republican Federated Chapter in Alameda County near Oakland. The exact venue is Cattlemens in Livermore.

http://www.trivalleyrepublicanwomen.org/

September 10 through November 19—Bruce Herschensohn will be lecturing on Thursday nights on foreign policy, starting at 6:00 P. M. sharp, at Pepperdine School of Public Policy.

Saturday, September 12—Rally at the Federal Building in Westwood.

Sunday, September 13, 10am—NFL Sunday Kickoff. http://www.nfl.com

Sunday, November 13, 5pm—Chabad Telethon. http://www.chabad.com

Monday, September 14—Norman Podhoretz will be speaking at the Skirball Center. Details to follow.

Wednesday, September 16—I will be speaking to the Long Beach Republican Women’s Federated at their monthly luncheon. Please contact Helene Belisle for details.

http://www.cfrw.org/divisions/listbycounty.php?county=los%20angeles

September 25-27—The California GOP State Convention in Indian Wells. Details to follow.

Wednesday, October 14—RJC Leadership Meeting in Washington, DC.

Friday, October 16—I will be speaking to the Conejo Valley Republican Women’s Federated at an 11:30am luncheon. Please contact Dianne Alexander for details.

Thursday, October 22– I will be speaking to the Diamond Bar Republican Women’s Federated at an evening cocktail party. Please contact Tricia Bowler for details.

Friday, October 23—I will be speaking to the Palm Springs Republican Women’s Federated at an evening dinner. Please contact Sharon McCabe for details.

Saturday, October 31—I will be Emceeing the Ari David Halloween Event.

Tuesday, November 3—I will be speaking at the San Fernando Valley Republican Club. Contact Gary Aminoff for details. My friend Larry Greenfield lit up the group recently.

http://www.sfvrc.org/

November 13-15—I will be speaking at the Texas Republican Women’s Federated State Convention.

http://www.tfrw.org/

Saturday, January 9, 2010—I will be speaking on my birthday to the American River (Near Sacramento) Republican Women’s Federated at their monthly luncheon. Please contact Bonnie Williams for details. Their guest on September 19, 2009 is Bill Simon.

http://www.cfrw.org/divisions/listbycounty.php?county=sacramento

March, 2010—I will be speaking at the California Republican Assembly (CRA) Convention. Details to follow.

Now for a relaxing weekend, where I can enjoy God given gifts such as freedom and liberty. After all, this is still America, despite what a certain thug at the Luxe Hotel may think.

eric

Worse than Henry Waxman

Friday, August 28th, 2009

Yesterday I went to a health care “forum” featuring Henry Waxman that was definitely not a townhall. The event was a sham on so many levels, and I will deal with that soon enough.

However, an event occurred at the event that was absolutely chilling. I want to make it crystal clear at the very beginning that I have no evidence that Congressman Waxman was responsible for this negative incident, nor am I stating with certainty that he was.

My motives for attending this function were to have a story to blog about. My dream scenario would be Congressman Waxman putting his foot in his mouth, and giving me ammunition. He obliged. However, what I will not do is make up a story. I am not Dan Rather, Mary Mapes, or the Jayson Blair Times. My integrity supercedes the story. It is for that reason that when I do my recap of the event, I will mention some positive occurrences, including Mr. Waxman’s politeness toward me personally.

What I will never do is act in an unruly manner. My life is dedicated toward trying to force the left into being more civilized in terms of their discourse. Therefore, I am very mindful of my discourse. I will never hold offensive signs, shout hateful epithets, or engage in any other behavior.

This event was a luncheon at the Luxe hotel in Brentwood. The event was kept secret, and tickets cost $50. Supporters of Mr. Waxman were given preferential treatment. This was a tightly controlled campaign rally, not a real townhall. However, my main criticism involved a thug that works for the Luxe Hotel.

I have been to this hotel several times. The functions I attended probably featured more Republicans than Democrats, but they were non-partisan events. Many of these events are Pro-Israel events, which simply is a bigger issue in terms of passion among conservatives. However, I do not think I have ever attended an overtly political event there. I did sleep at the hotel once, because I had a coupon for a free night. It was a pleasant stay (obvious reasons–redacted), and I would have stayed there again had the hotel not been five minutes from my home.

Normally people just drive up, with no issues. This time, a pair of men stopped me as I pulled up. They asked what I was coming to the hotel for. I explained to them that I was there to see the Congressman, and gave them my name. They saw I was on the list, and let me through. I figured that was it.

I took my Republican Jewish Coalition tote bag, emptied the contents, and put them in my National Football League tote bag. This was before I exited my car.I simply wanted to avoid controversy. I entered the luncheon room, began to eat my salad, and was then accosted by a Vice President of the Hotel, Seth Horowitz.

I have never met Seth Horowitz before. Yet he claimed to know me. He told me that he knew who I was, and that if I had any intention of making a disturbance, I should leave immediately.

I was stunned by this. I was using my fork correctly. I told him I had no idea what he was talking about, and he emphasized that he wanted to make sure I did not cause any problems.

This was mind boggling to me. There is nothing in my background to suggest I would do anything improper.

He actually threatened me, and if I was anything other than a white male, I would probably have a pretty decent civil rights claim. He told me that he would refund my money if I wanted, and that if I was not satisfied, he could have the police escort me out.

I asked him flat out why he was even approaching me. He would not say. In fact, he kept saying over and over that he did explain it to me, but all he did was repeatedly say that he wanted to avoid problems.

(Only after insisting that I was there for peaceful purposes did he leave me alone.)

I never got an answer to a basic fundamental question.

Why did he think I would be a problem? What behavior triggered his reaction?

For those wondering why this matters, think about some basic things.

Everybody who registered for this event gave their name. This Seth Horowitz fellow, based on something, “knew about me.”

What did he know? Were guests investigated? Did the Valet people see the political tote bag, which I carefully turned around before giving them my car?

If somebody were to google my name, it would take them several pages to find something. A jazz musician who plays saxophone and lives in San Francisco gets most of the attention. I am fine with this. So to find something about me would take some serious time and effort.

More importantly, was this mere overzealousness by a hotel employee making sure his esteemed guest was happy? If so, why all the secrecy and evasiveness by Mr. Horowitz? He did not seem to be harassing most people, and was beyond rude. Another Republican in the room had somebody looking over his shoulder the entire time, checking out what the fellow was doing with his Blackberry.

For those who think I am being paranoid, explain to me how an unassuming guy minding his own business can be targeted without explanation.

Mr. Horowitz was willing to have me “taken care of,” which could mean anything from being asked to leave to something more violent. He is a physically imposing guy, and got right in my face. This was assault.

I cannot imagine that Mr. Horowitz acted alone. Either Mr. Horowitz acted on direct orders, or he is a liberal activist. Yet how would he know my views?

I am going to repeat over and over again that I have never at any time in my life engaged in any political behavior that could be considered dangerous or threatening to anyone. My conversations with Congressman Waxman were cordial. He is my opponent, not my enemy.

Seth Horowitz might be the second coming of Rahm Emanuel, at least from a tactical standpoint.

As for why he did what he did, he will not say.

I want answers. Why was I targeted? What did he mean when he said that he “knew about me?” What does that mean? Whatever he “found out,” through what means did he find out?

I have never given a political speech at the Luxe Hotel. None of my political speeches have ever been videotaped. I have never had an event occur at the Luxe Hotel that would be considered remotely controversial.

This was not a random targeting. This man had a beef with me, and is not offering an explanation.

Seth Horowitz is a bully on a power trip. The only thing bullies respect is force. I will be contacting every organization I have friends with, and plead with them to boycott the Luxe Hotel.

I want answers. This is America. Every citizen has the right to peacefully assemble.

Congress Waxman’s people may have had nothing to do with this, but that theory defies logic.

The whole situation stinks to high heaven.

Seth Horowitz must be held accountable for his behavior.

Otherwise, when he targets you, I will not be there to speak up.

eric

Update: Seth Horowitz of the Luxe Hotel just called me and was very belligerent. He insisted that Congressman Waxman did not give the order to target me. When I asked if Congressman Waxman’s people gave the order, he clammed up. He said he did it based on my behavior. I asked him “what behavior?” He would not answer. He is hiding behind his lawyers, after accusing me of trying to sue the hotel.

I called back and emphasized to the very pleasant woman in the Executive Suite offices that I had zero interest in suing the hotel. I simply want an apology and an explanation. I also called Waxman’s office to find out more. While I suspect he may have an overzealous staffer or two, I do not have any evidence at this time that Congressman Waxman was directly involved.

eric

Taking Ted to the (wood) shed

Thursday, August 27th, 2009

Ted is dead.

My self-imposed 24 hour grace period, which the left would never give to George W. Bush or any other conservative, has ended.

I was willing to leave Ted Kennedy be and let his family mourn on the day of his death.

I will not sit back and let the media lionize his life.

It is time to take the Ted to the (wood) shed.

Not only was he a bad person, but he managed to make everybody around him worse.

http://norunnyeggs.com/2009/08/the-morning-scramble-special-swimming-away-edition/

http://www.thesubstratum.com/general-politics/senator-edward-kennedy-dies-and-i-cant-lie-the-champagne-will-be-flowing-tonight-at-my-place/

http://miamipress.net/2009/08/26/cowardly-lion-of-senate-ted-kennedy-dead-at-77/

http://rositatheprolesnastylittlebloggingproblem.wordpress.com/2009/08/26/mary-jo-kopechne-to-ted-kennedy-welcome-to-the-afterlife/

I will not let Chappaquiddick go. Liberals who chant that “Bush lied, people died,” apparently do not care that Ted Kennedy left a woman to die, and then lied about it. Simply put, he put his political career over the life of a human being.

If members of the Klan build roads, that does not erase that they are members of the Klan. Hamas builds schools, but they are still terrorists who blow people up. A murderer who goes to prison and donates a kidney is as life neutral as the phonies who believe in carbon offsets.

Ted Kennedy did positive things, and I am sure if I picked up an industrial strength magnifying glass, I might find something. That does not invalidate the fact that he got drunk, drove a car off of a bridge, and left a woman to die, all the while using his money and power to cover up the truth.

Long before he took a human life, he cheated at Harvard. His family used their money and power to reduce an automatic expulsion and lifetime ban to a one year suspension.  This not only was a disgrace for Ted Kennedy, but was one occurrence in a series of events that has led Harvard over the past 40 years to decline from a first rate institution to the Poison Ivy League joke it is today. Also, university slots are finite. Bringing Ted back came at the expense of some random “little person” that he never bothered to think about.

Supporters of Ted Kennedy have sunk to his level of worthlessness. The National Organization for Women remains a collection of hags and harpies that have zero interest in women’s rights. Any organization that finds Ted Kennedy better for feminism than Sarah Palin is phony. Sarah Palin did not kill a woman. Sarah Palin is faithful to her spouse. Sarah Palin is cursed because she did not drive her daughter Bristol over a bridge to prevent a child from being born. Perhaps if Senator Kennedy had let his lover and child survive, he would be pilloried today.

George W. Bush used to drink. Unlike Ted Kennedy and Christopher Dodd, President Bush did not sexually assault his serving waitress. Also, those that criticize George W. Bush as having succeeded due to his family name should look at Ted Kennedy with an honest lens. At least George W. Bush attempted real jobs in the private sector, and returned to the private sector. Ted Kennedy claimed to care about the working man, even though he never was one. Being a “hardworking Senator” is not lifting a lunch pail and putting on a hard hat.

Ted Kennedy claimed to care about people, but he as was phony on other policies as he was about women’s issues. He claimed to be for renewable energy sources, but blocked a wind farm that obscured his pristine view from his Massachusetts home.

He raised taxes for middle Americans who could not afford the expensive tax attorneys and tax shelters that he utilized to evade the very laws he had enacted.

He was phony to the end. In 2004, he was concerned that if John Kerry was elected President (shudder), Republican Governor Mitt Romney would appoint a Republican to the seat. He had the law changed to call for a special election in that scenario, removing the governor’s power.

This in itself was not bad, even if the motives were impure. However, in 2009, he tried to change the law back because he wanted Deval Patrick, the very liberal governor of Massachusetts, to appoint another liberal rather than risk a special election.

Personality wise, Ted Kennedy was a bully. His treatment of Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas was abusive. In an office setting, his behavior could have even been actionable. He took decent men and libeled them.

Worst of all, Ted Kennedy abused people who tried to reach across the aisle to him.

John McCain made the mistake of calling Ted Kennedy his friend. Ted Kennedy responded by lambasting him far beyond traditional politics during the 2008 election.

He worked with President George W. Bush on an education bill. He then turned around and called President Bush a liar, which is like the pot calling the kettle African-American.

Ted Kennedy personified the politics of personal destruction.

His passing will hopefully lead to a more civil discourse in society. At the very least, the Senate just became nicer by percentage.

My prediction is that the leftist bullies will try and get a terrible health care bill passed in his honor. “Win one for Teddy” will be used to try and paint everybody against a bad bill as trying to defile the memory of a man who died of brain cancer. This fits in with the left’s refusal to acknowledge that reasonable people can have principled disagreements.

Ted Kennedy did not just die of cancer, which I wish on nobody.

He was a cancer. He was pure poison. He destroyed innocent lives while holding himself up as a paragon of virtue. He wrecked reputations, for no other reason than pure power.

He wrecked lives.

I wish no pain on his family, but I will not shed a single crocodile tear on his passing.

I cannot think of a better way to honor this nation than to defeat the terrible bill that was his awful life’s work.

eric

Ted Kennedy Dies

Wednesday, August 26th, 2009

Ted Kennedy has died.

I am going to triangulate on this one. As much as I was not a fan of his, I am not going to attack him today.

I am also unable to praise him for obvious reasons.

I wrote an entire column awhile back promising that when three specific people died, I would be respectful, and nothing more. Those three people were Ted Kennedy, Robert Novak, and a relative of mine who remains a terrible person. I think with her I will hold back the least, because she does not have legions of fans.

https://tygrrrrexpress.com/2008/08/from-ted-kennedy-to-robert-novak-to/

As for Senator Kennedy, out of respect for his family, I am going to say something positive about him that will allow me to maintain my high wire act of being polite without sugarcoating my feelings.

http://michellemalkin.com/2009/08/26/sen-edward-kennedy-has-died/

http://www.thesubstratum.com/general-politics/senator-edward-kennedy-dies-and-i-cant-lie-the-champagne-will-be-flowing-tonight-at-my-place/

http://miamipress.net/2009/08/26/cowardly-lion-of-senate-ted-kennedy-dead-at-77/

http://rositatheprolesnastylittlebloggingproblem.wordpress.com/2009/08/26/mary-jo-kopechne-to-ted-kennedy-welcome-to-the-afterlife/

http://norunnyeggs.com/2009/08/rest-in-peace-sen-kennedy-1922-2009/

Ted Kennedy stood up for Dan Quayle.

Vice President Quayle was one of the most abused politicians in history. Long before the left began character assassinations of George W. Bush and Sarah Palin, Dan Quayle was the victim of ideological bigotry. He was a devout Christian, and the media did not want somebody from the 1960s who avoided the counterculture in power. His ascendancy threatened their narrative.

Yet to his credit, Ted Kennedy was the one who told others on the left that the relentless beating Quayle was taking had to stop.

This seemed strange, given that Senator Kennedy was hard on many conservatives, including President George Herbert Walker Bush. However, the Senate had a certain amount of (long since vanished) collegiality. Kennedy and Quayle had worked together in the Senate when Quayle was a Senator from Indiana as well as when Vice President Quayle presided over the Senate.

They worked together on Junior Achievement. JA has helped many young children. They also worked together on the Jobs Partnership Training Act, again to help young kids. They had differing ideologies, but found common ground.

When President Bush and Vice President Quayle were going on a trade mission to Africa, Senator Kennedy badly wanted to join them. He had been very critical of the President, so he asked Quayle to run interference.

Vice President Quayle offered Kennedy a deal. He could join them on the trip, but he was not allowed to criticize President Bush at any time on the trip. Politics was going to stop at the water’s edge. Senator Kennedy gave his word, and he kept it.

Senator Kennedy was so grateful to Vice President Quayle that he publicly gave him a New England Patriots jersey to show his appreciation.

The two men had a genuine friendship.

I know this because I read Dan Quayle’s incredibly heartfelt autobiography, “Standing Firm.”

Dan Quayle is deeply committed to his Christian faith, and I am going to follow his example today.

Tomorrow can be about analyzing how his death impacts health care reform. Tomorrow we can talk about everything from the Harvard scandal to Mary Jo Kopechne to Robert Bork to Clarence Thomas to everything else. We can even discuss how Kennedy’s own actions led to the current governor being unable to quickly nominate a liberal successor.

Today is a day to let his family be.

Grieving children lost their father, and despite everything else I may think, that is what today is about.

eric

Townhall Truths and Liberal Lies

Tuesday, August 25th, 2009

I have attended more than one townhall meeting recently, in addition to a ton of functions that were as much social as they were political.

Before getting to health care, I would like to thank a pair of organizations in the San Jose area for providing me with an enjoyable weekend.

On Saturday night, the Sacramento Queen and I attended the Stars and Stripes Gala in Los Gatos.  The event was put on by the Silicon Valley Association of Republican Women (SVARW). After attending the Palo Alto Arts Festival near the Stanford Campus, Sunday night was the South Peninsula Area Republican Coalition (SPARC) Picnic in Los Altos.

What too many liberals refer to as bible-thumping, gun-toting fascists, I refer to as decent human beings with nobility in their hearts. There was no hatred. Senate Candidate Chuck Devore played a hilarious clip comparing Barbara Boxer to the Mike Myers Austin Powers character Dr. Evil, but he was not calling her evil. This was a humorous look at her “Call me Senator” tantrum.

Another individual had the crowd singing a folk song entitled “Barbara Boxer the taxer.”

Yet the humor was lighthearted, and certainly not vicious.

I addressed both crowds, and the environments were positive and friendly. Mot conservatives don’t hate liberals. We just want them to stop hating us and have civilized discourse.

I saw no bigotry or venom. It was simply not there. These were love fests.

The townhalls are another matter entirely. the left wants the debate to be “calmer.” These are the same people that frothed at the mouth like rabid dogs for the previous eight years. These are the same people that long for the days when the Jayson Blair Times and CBS News could suppress the truth. These people want the discussion to end simply because they do not recognize the other side as even having a legitimate point of view.

The first townhall I attended was that of Los Angeles Congressman Adam Schiff.

On politics, he is every bit as liberal as his fellow Angeleno Congressmen Henry Waxman, Howard Berman, and Brad Sherman.

Yet At the risk of practicing what I preach, I will say some positive things about Adam Schiff.

For one thing, I have met the man. He is thoughtful and articulate. He is not bombastic. He speaks in a calm, quiet manner. He is a fierce debater, because his tone forces one to listen intently. He is a nice guy, and his wife is a lovely person. They were both beyond friendly to me, and I even had a debate after a debate with Congressman Schiff that lasted less than five minutes. We agreed to disagree, but very respectfully.

As for the townhall itself, Schiff got a couple of important things right.

First of all, he had the townhall to begin with. It is a sad commentary on America when a Congressman gets rewarded for doing what he is supposed to do, but that is the world today. Waxman, Berman, and Sherman have been gutless in hiding frm the voters. For that reason I am downgrading them to Waxboy, Berboy, and Sherboy. At least Schiff faced the voters.

The second thing Congressman Schiff got right was to change the location. It was supposed to be held inside a library, which would have accommodated between two and three hundred people. It was moved outdoors so that several thousand people could attend. Congressman Schiff had the opportunity to inoculate himself, and create a staged event. While again it is disappointing to praise a man for what he should do, it does not change the fact that he did the right thing.

The event was well organized, and the chairs provided were for seniors and disabled people only. Others had to stand, which was fine. The crowd was well behaved, and deferential to the seniors.

Where the townhall went wrong was in the decision to force people to write questions down on pieces of paper rather than ask them into the microphone. This is cowardly. Barbara Boxer is famous for this strategy. In fact, in a manner brazen even for her (barely), she is now charging people for asking her questions. They have to buy a copy of her book. My guess is that the book is dreadful, since a quality tome would have excerpts available for public viewing. Her last name betrays her. She throws one punch at a conservative of her choosing and then hides in the corner.

The notion that questions should be preselected to prevent violence is ludicrous. There was plenty of security at the Schiff townhall. Also, as a public speaker myself, I know how to take back the microphone from people that confuse their manifesto with an actual question.

Congressman Schiff did ask for the crowd to tell him whether they were for or against Obamacare. My unscientific reading told me that about 2/3 of the crowd was against Obamacare.

Congressman Schiff had a health care panel of “respected” experts. By respected, he meant that they agreed with him. The panel was a typical liberal approach to diversity. There was no diversity of thought. Congressman Schiff could enhance his credibility by allowing a speaker that was against the legislation. However, it was his townhall, and he has a right to sell his view.

The townhall featured a crowd that consisted mainly of honest people. There were nutcases, but they were few and far between.

The left has been spectacular at cherry picking the crowd to find one right wing wacko to link to all Republicans and conservatives.

One leftist blogger (hard left by his admission) interviewed me, and he asked me to comment on signs equating Obamacare with Nazism, Hitler, or National Socialism. I told him that I condemned those signs, and told more than one “conservative” to stop it. I told him that for eight years, I had to listen to “Bush = Hitler,” nonsense, and comparing Obama to Hitler is just as vile. The blogger asked me what I planned to do about such speech, and I pointed out to him that my responsibility was to condemn it, which is what I did.

Somehow (probably my fault) we ended up talking football. We did not like the same team. We shared a few laughs, as I pointed out that I could talk rationally about politics, but when it came to football there was only emotion, with opposing sides being evil. We both laughed.

At that point a friend of mine with views more strident than mine made the comparison of Obamacare to Nazism. I cringed. When he walked away, I told the liberal blogger that for him to let my friend be seen as the mainstream would be unfair. He pointed out that my blog most likely does the same thing. Touche.

I then asked him a favor. I told him to find another nutcase in the crowd to make his point, but to not use my friend. He met me halfway, which I have to admit I appreciated. He was going to publish my friend’s name. He agreed to leave the guy’s name out of his video. He only agreed to do it because of the fact that he felt I was fair and reasonable. Besides, my friend did not have to make the comments. He and I still disagree on this point.

What is beyond dispute is that my friend’s approach is not what the townhall was about, and to imply otherwise is a lie. Most of the people were civilized, well behaved, passionate, and respectful. Many in the crowd voted for Mr. Obama. They want him to succeed, but not on health care reform, at least not government run health care. Many others did not vote fr him, but were clearly interested in debating policy, not in making personal attacks.

Overall, the townhall was adequate.

This in stark contrast to the woefully inadequate response of Henry Waxman.

(Editor’s note: He is my Congressman, and I am supporting his opponent Ari David. The Jayson Blair Times could learn from this type of honest and upfront disclosure.)

Henry Waxman held a private townhall meeting, but only on cap and trade. He would not discuss healthcare. This private townhall was closed to the public, and stacked with Waxman supporters. 30 minutes after this UCLA sham, Ari David held an open townhall meeting on healthcare a few doors down.

The crowd was polite, and liberals were allowed to ask questions.

One liberal trick is to try to hijack the meeting by asking 20 follow ups questions. When the conservative explains that others need to be heard as well, the liberal then claims censorship for failing to censor others through endless questions. At this event, a Huffington Post writer left the room after being unable to dominate the conversation. Ari David told her that he would be happy to speak to her after the meeting for her follow up questions, but she left the room instead. She was not interested in being answered. She was interested in inflicting her view on the room. When that failed, she bailed.

Contrast this with Waxman’s approach, which is to ban conservatives from entering the room, much less speaking.

Congressman Waxman will be holding a health care panel this coming week, but it again will be restricted. The charge is $50 to attend, and information is being kept hidden.

Well forget that. I found out the information. It is being held at the Luxe Hotel in Brentwood at Noon on Thursday, August 27th. The Luxe Hotel in Brentwood is located at 11461 Sunset Blvd. If the Waxman campaign wishes to pretend that this is public information, let them. That would be another lie.

The same man who blasted President Bush and Vice President Cheney on secrecy issues should welcome my disclosure. The Jayson Blair Times, which delights in endangering American soldiers by revealing secret troop movements, should also celebrate my commitment to transparency. President Obama wants this as well.

I do hope that those who attend Henry Waxman’s farce of a townhall at an expensive price at a swanky hotel during the day when most people are working get their money’s worth.

eric

My Interview With Larry Greenfield

Monday, August 24th, 2009

I had the pleasure recently of interviewing Larry Greenfield.

Larry currently works as a fellow in American Studies at the Claremont Institute. Before that he served for five years as the California Executive Director of the Republican Jewish Coalition.

Larry Greenfield is considered a rising star in politics and media, and is a popular speaker on public affairs issues.

Larry hails from the West, and has been called a young Ronald Reagan.  In fact, he has just been tapped as the first Executive Director of the Reagan Legacy Foundation, working with the notable Michael Reagan on such projects as the Reagan Exhibit at the Checkpoint Charlie Museum for the 20th Anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Larry grew up in Southern California, and attended high school with Daniel Pearl, the Wall Street Journal reporter murdered by Jihadists.

He earned his BA in political science from UC Berkeley, graduating in 3 years as Class Speaker.  He received his law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center.

Larry also served in the Armed Forces of the United States in Naval Intelligence Reserves, and he lectures widely on American foreign policy and such issues as Missile Defense.

He has traveled to some 75 countries, and was in Poland this summer in part to help analyze President Obama’s resetting of relations with Russia, which has caused concern among American allies in New Europe.
He is also a dear friend of mine, who I view as a mentor and an older brother.

We have been friends for so long that it only occurred to me recently that I never formally interviewed him. While I know him best as a friend, he is also a very accomplished individual in politics, law, and business. He worked on the arrest warrant for Yassir Arafat. A skilled debater, he did so well in 2008 town hall debates that the Obama campaign formally boycotted him. In addition, he likes football, as any great American would.

With that, I present my email with Larry Greenfield.

1) What is the Larry Greenfield story? What made you decide to enter the political arena?

1)    Good to be with you and your readers, Eric.   I am a citizen who studies American history, and the American Founding, and what I call the American Way.   I am a westerner, who loves our country, our land, and our legacy of liberty.   I am a modern Reaganite, politically — asserting smaller government, individual responsibility, economic growth through technology not taxes, and peace through strength.

My concern is that the bureaucratic state and the welfare state, and a weakening national moral fiber, all harm our freedom, prosperity and security and our national soul.

I am a big tent conservative…with shades of libertarianism and a spirit of collaboration towards all from the center to the right.  President Reagan suggested that if someone agrees with you 80 percent of the time, they are your 80 percent ally, not your 20 percent opponent.   I follow the 11th Commandment : if you join the tent to point out, against the left, and not point inward, against your fellow travelers on the center/right, then you are a friend.  I get along with all branches of the GOP.

Having said that, I think the momentum is with the principled, not with the sunshine-sometimes ambiguous.

I support positive solutions to our national challenges, and modern conservative proposals to break up the monopolies in healthcare and education.   Liberals have trapped parents and students in underperforming schools and they oppose choice and competition.

The elderly now see Obamacare as a direct attack on their health options.

Younger worker now realize Democrat absolute rejection of entitlement reform and long term personal savings accounts will leave them without retirement savings or a growing economy with good jobs to create their own wealth.

I am a green conservative — but answers to energy independence and arctic climate concerns lie in innovation not government cap and tax schemes which actually prevent American technological leadership to create jobs, reduce pollution, and grow our energy economy.

I am basically anti-leftist, anti- communist, anti-Jihadist, and anti-socialist.   I am pro human rights, and religious, economic and political liberty.

I seek to be a good teammate to average Americans who are battling back for our nation.

My story is simple.  If government leaves us alone, we will leave it alone.   But we can no longer leave government to the leftists to destroy our liberties.

2) What political issues are most important to you?

2)   My focus is on national security, and my concern is that we live in an age of proliferating missile technology,  weapons of mass destruction, and rogue regimes and terror groups,  including elements apparently not deterrable by American power.

I work on policy and politics on defense issues, and also care about small business growth and religious affairs issues, among others.

3) What can ordinary citizens do, besides donating money and voting for strong candidates, to help win the War on Terror? What obligations do we have, and how can we help?

3) We are in a great age for the empowerment of individual citizens.
Study up, read everything, get active.  The sky is the limit to influence policy, or connect with other citizens.   Politicians are and should be aware that we the people hold the title deed to this country.  Public servants work for us.   Many have been in office so long they are corrupt and arrogant.   Let’s show them who is boss.

Regarding the war on terror, demand of the liberal incumbents in Congress some answers for their weak leadership and ignorance over decades.   The votes to defund human intelligence, against missile defense, and against military technologies are stunning.   What were these supposedly bright congressmen thinking?   Many Democrats were asleep regarding rising Jihad, or worse, they were pro Jimmy Carter (and now support the repeatedly anti-Israel Barack Obama) and were hostile to Ronald Reagan and other pro-defense conservatives.   History will judge these aging leftist leaders very harshly as having been wrong all along on confronting the evils of communism and Jihadism.

I also think we all have obligations to confront the Jihadist genocide in Darfur, another Obama promise unfulfilled, by the way.

Where is the Obama commitment to human rights?  In China, Iran, Darfur, nothing.

Obama’s lack of resolve regarding Iranian citizens seeking liberty will be remembered as just one of his many shameful moments.   I think the American people began turning on him that moment.

4) It is one thing to ask people to have faith in God. It is much tougher to ask people to have faith in Government. What does our government do right, and what does it need to do better so people can start believing in their government again?

4) Americans have faith in our Republic, and should always renew our faith in our Founding.   We created government to protect our natural rights — we should demand responsive and limited government whose purpose is to protect our liberties, not rule over us as our master.   The arrogance of our government is beyond shameful.  Does everyone understand that President Obama works for us ?

The progressive idea believes elites know best and can create new man and an ever perfected state.   Our Founders knew better and sought to separate powers and limit government intrusion into our lives.

The role of government has grown far beyond any acceptable line for a free people meant for self rule, private property rights, and liberty of conscience.

At a minimum, we must devolve power to the government that is most local.

Government governs best that governs least.   The rise of group, not individual rights, and the idea of the Living Constitution — with biased results based on personal opinion made up by unelected judges — are two clear examples of the triumph of elitist progressivism gone wild.

Our founders supported a safety net but not a welfare state.

The Federal government does best national defense; our military is our national pride and has done far more for liberty than all the effete leftists on campuses combined.

5) With regards to foreign policy, what have we done right, and what have we gotten wrong, in the last 8 years, and what steps need to be taken to improve the situations that require improvement?

5) Removing Al Qaeda bases in Afghanistan and defeating Saddam and sons plus Zarqawi in Iraq, and rolling up much of the Al Qaeda network and funding base has been effective.   We correctly went on offense after 911.

We needed to do more with public diplomacy and winning the war of ideas.

Our allies have actually been there with us — Obama lied when he castigated America for having lost all her friends.   Australia, Japan, India, New Europe (Poland et al.), Italy, Germany, France, Tony Blair’s England, Canada, Mexico, Columbia, on and on, all these governments are center/right and/or supported the United States in confronting the terror war against the West.

Obama was wrong about Gitmo, it is actually a professional and effective detention center.  Obama has been wrong to pander to Arab autocracy and tyranny.  His Cairo speech was just awful — parroting the Arab narrative that Israel is simply a western outpost due to guilt after the Holocaust.   Jerusalem has been in the Jewish soul and covenant for 3000 years. Obama also let down dissidents and reformers and seems just fine bowing to Saudi dictators.

We need to reject the entire Carter-Obama approach to national security and foreign policy.
22 friends of the USA wrote an open letter of concern about Obama’s resetting tilt toward the Russians, ignoring our friends in new Europe.   Obama’s apologizing around the world for the USA was despicable, and got us nothing, by the way. Not help in Afghanistan, not Chinese commitments on climate change, not Russian help regarding Iran.

The Obama foreign policy is 180 degrees off the mark.

We need to stand with allies, and show strength and leadership for human rights. Obama may be the worst appeaser since Chamberlain, certainly since Jimmy Carter.
6) The American dollar seems to be in free fall, and government bailouts are coming at taxpayer expense. Should government get involved, and is this even a problem at all? If so, what needs to be done?

6)  The spending by government is unconstitutional and wildly imprudent.   But it is the Democrat plan to
create a dependent class that votes for more goodies from the government and punishes the productive tax payers. Obama is stealing from our children, no question about it.   The state will have to tax us or create inflation, which is also a huge tax, to pay the bills.    The Bailouts were not temporary, targeted, or in other ways effective.

The Cash for Clunkers is destroying the ability to purchase used cars, not a small market, by the way, and there is always an unintended consequence to the blunt and ineffective hand of government in the economy.
The bailouts rewarded Obama’s leftist friends and campaign donors.
7) What would be the main qualities and criteria you would look for with regards to potential Supreme Court justices? Could they disagree with you on major issues, and still be qualified? How do you feel about how they ruled on the DC second amendment case?

7)  Regarding the courts, we should expect prudence and humility.   Now Justice Sotomayor apparently has been a decent judge, although I hear quite a bully on the bench.  It was her political statements that upset everyone –classic identity politics.   That stuff may go over well at some elite universities, but the average American cares not for leftist ideological pronouncements.   Look, elections have consequences, so Obama gets to pick his appointees. His choices will often not agree with me, but if they are qualified, I cannot quarrel with his right to make judicial nominations.

I do note the Republicans did not filibuster or destroy Sotomayor, an Hispanic, like the Democrats did with conservative Hispanic appointee Miguel Estrada.    I ask Hispanic voters to remember this.

Regarding the DC Gun Ban:  The 2nd Amendment is not optional….it is 2nd but not 2nd rate.

In the Heller case, the operative clause of the Second Amendment — “the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed”—is controlling and refers to a preexisting right of individuals to possess and carry personal weapons for self-defense and intrinsically for defense against tyranny.

The Court will allow for some regulations, against felons, for example, but basically, the Court correctly asserted the natural and fundamental and constitutional right not to have a jurisdiction like DC ban all individual rights to handguns.  The Court got this right.

8.) Do you support the Bush Doctrine of preemptive action? Do you feel that it may be necessary to take preemptive action against Iran?

8.) The Bush Doctrine, in my interpretation, is that if you support terrorism, you are at risk of our confrontation. One aspect is the preemption doctrine, announced at West Point, by President Bush, and applied to Iraq, which had violated UN sanctions, Gulf War 1 stipulations, no fly zones, human rights, and had funded terrorists, like the suicide bombers against Israelis.   Saddam used Arabic translations of Mein Kampf to train his Baathists. The argument against overthrowing this regime has no moral merit.

Now, one can discuss the prudential question of our preparedness, the intelligence, the political case, and the long struggle to stabilize a democracy in the Arab world.  Many successes, many mistakes. Our military has been brilliant, and the will of the American people, and our sacrifice, has been noble. The Democrat political campaign against the Iraq War was unique in American history for its violation of the patriotic contract that politics ends at the water’s edge.   Senator Durbin claimed our troops are like Nazis, Stalinists, and the Khmer Rouge.   The Democrat attacks on the Iraq War were beyond disgusting.

It looks like President Obama blew our chance to avoid preemptive military action against Iran. We might have been able to tip the regime over, or at least organize international pressure on it. But Obama did not want to take sides against the Revolutionary Republic of Iran, thugs and dictators who shoot their own people and threaten genocide of the Jews, and support terror groups like Hezbollah and Hamas and seek a world without America.   Unbelievable.

9) What Americans call 9/11, Israel refers to as every day life. Israel is then asked to show restraint. What is your view on Israel taking preemptive action, including a strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities if necessary? What about with regards to the disputed territories such as Gaza? What about against Damascus, who funds Hezbollah?

9) Thoughtful military and political leaders will have to examine the ability of Iran to marry delivery systems to weapons of mass destruction.  I believe they can start and stop this process when they like and already have achieved a status of capability.

Sanctions have failed, because they are often full of leaks due to greed, and the cleverness of regimes to stay in power.  Iran could be blockaded, an act of war, but if the regime is not changed, I assume the US and Israel will not forever live under Iranian nuclear blackmail and threat, which will also spark a regional proliferation race.   The Sunni Arab states appear closer to the Israeli position of preempting this threat than the Obama administration does.

Israelis have to make their own decisions.  I suggest that the failure to respond to Iraqi scud attacks on
Israel in 1991, and the unilateral withdrawals from Lebanon, Gaza, and threatened from the West Bank,
all reduced Israeli deterrence and only incentivized the Arabs to smell weakness.

Israel will have peace when the Arabs have democracy and rule of law.   Tyrants funnel the misery of
their populations into hatred of the other, the enemy.   Israel’s response to intifada should have been
massive retaliation, and the liberation of innocent Palestinians from their dictators.   All they have done
is kick the can down the road, to the final showdown.  In the meantime, terror groups funded by Iran have improved their rockets, mortars and missiles, and the noose around Israel has tightened.

Israel needs defensible borders, and in an age of missiles, missile defense.  But it cannot assume it will outlast Arab tyranny.  Only if Arab society joins in the 21st century for human rights and trade and economic development and political liberty and responsibility and ending the Jihad can Israeli survival be assured.

10) What are your main concerns, if any, with the current process regarding health care reform?

10)   The Democrats, particularly Obama, have completely over-reached.   They want to ration healthcare
for the elderly ?  They want to create yet another Government system to go broke, like medicare ?

Is enough not enough with the radical, rushed agenda of the most leftist group ever to occupy the White House and the Speaker’s chair in Congress?

You know they are in trouble when they resort to campaign style smears of average Americans showing up
to town hall meetings.   I think we have seen the crumbling of the facade of the Democrat majority.
2010 is going to be fun.

On the merits, ObamaCare takes us exactly in the wrong direction.   We need more supply of healthcare,
not more taxes and more regulation to deter the creation of ways to care for our citizens.   Ask doctors
about Obama’s plans to create boards to decide who gets what treatment.   It goes on and on.

11) Who are your three political heroes, American or worldwide?

11)  My heroes are the Founders, especially Washington and Patrick Henry, and Churchill, and Reagan.
I also admire the Armed Forces of the United States.   Other heroes are Lincoln, Sharansky, and all those
who fought or fight for freedom.

12) Without delving too deeply into your personal life, what would you want Americans to know about Larry Greenfield the person? 100 years from now, what would you want people to remember about you, and what would you hope the history books say about you?

12)  I am loyal and try to be kind to everyone.  I enjoy old friends and making new ones. I enjoy my hobbies, and am fairly down to earth.   I have enjoyed seeing much of the world, but always return to the West.

I start off with a warm smile to everyone.   If someone hits me first, I will get in the last punch, however.
Don’t tread on me, a motto of our early Patriots, seems to be in my blood.   I have a bit of cowboy in me.
Gentle on the outside, pretty determined inside.   I am not sure why when I speak in public, it is so much fun. I guess all the learning over all these years comes pouring out.    I try to be bravely honest in my public speech.

It is easy for the liberals to pander with the idea they will bring heaven on earth.   Intelligent people
can tell this is the worst of politics, however.   The problem with socialism is you run out of other people’s money before you fulfill all your dreamy promises to the people.

100 years from now, no one will remember any of us, except the rare few. But if my epitaph said:  Patriot for America, Fighter for Freedom…..well, I could rest in peace.

I would like to thank Larry for the time and dedication and thoughfulness he put into this interview. He is a great guy to know, and a great spokesperson for issues that matter in this world. He is a great politico, but an even better friend.

eric

Raiders Recap–Preseason 2009 Week 2

Sunday, August 23rd, 2009

In a cruel twist if fate, I happen to be in the Bay Area when the Raiders play the 49ers at Candlestick Park, or whatever they call it nowadays. Sadly enough I have a political function in San Jose when the game starts.

This will not happen during the regular season. As I thank my almighty lord for creating Tivo, this column will be updated in a time frame that is unacceptable for those who demand information in a timely manner. How unreasonable.

Until then, go to Just Blog Baby. http://www.justblogbaby.com

Yes, I know it is only preseason, but I have always detested the 49ers. Their fans are insufferable, although 15 years of not winning is ever so mildly humbling them. I know the score does not matter, but it still ticks me off.

While the scoreboard says the Raiders lost, that is a bit misleading. The game was scoreless after the first quarter, and the Raiders led 7-3 at half. The Raiders led 14-3 after three quarters. So while one could describe a fourth quarter collapse, at that point the scrubs were playing.

Of bigger concern is that the Raiders had four turnovers, were outgained 389-245, and trailed in time of possession by a staggering 39 minutes to 21 minutes.

On a down note, three Raiders quarterbacks threw an interception. Charlie Frye, Bruce Gradkowski, and Jeff Garcia all got picked off.

On a much bigger up note, none of that matters if JaMarcus Russell plays well. He was 7 for 11 for 76 yards, and did not turn the ball over. He also threw a touchdown pass.

In terms of the starters, the Raiders won the game, and the defense was solid. However, the offense was fairly inept. This has been a problem with the Raiders for the last several years. The defense fights hard, but gets exhausted late in games because they get no help from the offense.

The Raiders did nothing on offense in the first half. 49ers quarterback Alex Smith had a pass intercepted and returned 54 yards, setting the Raiders up with first and goal at the seven. The Raiders did not score on the drive.

Yest even this is misleading, since in the regular season, the Raiders would kick a field goal on 4th and goal at the three rather than gamble. Yet even a field goal in that situation is a disgrace.

Later in the second quarter, Russell went deep for Johnny Lee Higgins, and the Raiders benefited from a defensive pass interference penalty. These are the Raiders, so naturally a drive from the 13 soon turned into a holding penalty, and 3rd and 21 from the 24. Yet give Russell credit. He then Murphy for the 24 yard touchdown. Usually that situation would be a field goal attempt on 4th down.

The 49ers mounted a 13 play, 7 minute drive at the end of the half. Yet from the Oakland one, running back Coffee was blasted backwards three yards. The 49ers settled for a field goal.

The 49ers began the third quarter with a 6 minute drive, but Joe Nedney missed a 51 yard field goal. Bruce Gradkowski threw a 36 yard pass to Myers, and then hit Myers for the 2 yard touchdown.

The Raiders collapsed under a flurry of interceptions, but again, these were backups. Also, in a regular season game, they would be running the ball up 14-3 after three quarters. The 49ers went up 21-14, and Charlie Frye then led the Raiders on a drive late. On 3rd and goal from the 14, Frye scrambled and scored the touchdown. The 2 point conversion failed, and at the risk of sounding like a broken record, in the regular season the extra point would have been kicked.

Down notes late in the game included the Raiders stuffing the 49ers, forcing a punt on 4th and 1. A penalty on San Francisco had the Raiders wanting a rekick on 4th and 6. It was the right call, but the Raiders fumbled the punt. Then, needing to stop the 49ers on 3rd and 10 to get one last chance, the third string defense yielded 11 yards.

One could argue that the Raiders played well enough to win. From a preseason standpoint, the offense needs improvement, but has improved. The defense could be very good. I would be more pleased than upset about this game.

Yes, the 49ers will brag, but the Raiders did enough with their starters. Again, this team is not a 12-4 team, but they do not look 4-12 either. They could be 8-8, which is an upgrade.

49ers 21, Raiders 20.

eric

Don Rickles on Democrats

Saturday, August 22nd, 2009

Today is a rare day that I will outsource my column.

Insult comedian Don Rickles lit up the Democratic Party. I am sure he has anti-Republican jokes, but for now, i am glad he is on the right side.

Below are his politically incorrect jokes about people who are political jokes and incorrect about virtually everything.

“DON RICKLES ON DEMOCRATS

Only Don Rickles could get away with saying this stuff, but it is funny.

Don Rickles Roasts the Dems… Hello, dummies!

Oh my God, look at you. Anyone else hurt in the accident? Seriously, Senator Reid has a face of a Saint – A Saint Bernard. Now I know why they call you the arithmetic man. You add partisanship, subtract pleasure, divide attention, and multiply ignorance. Reid is so physically unimposng; he makes Pee Wee Herman look like Mr. T. And Reid’s so dumb; he makes Speaker Pelosi look like an intellectual. Nevada is soooo screwed! If I were less polite, I’d say Reid makes Kevin Federline look successful.

Speaking of the Speaker… Nancy Pelosi, hubba, hubba! Hey baby, you must’ve been something before electricity. Seriously, the Speaker may look like an idiot and talk like an idiot but don’t let that fool you. She really is an idiot.
Madame Speaker… want to make twelve bucks the hard way? Pelosi says she’s not partisan, but her constituents call her Madame Pelossilini.

Charlie Rangel… still alive and still robbing the taxpayers blind. What does that make, six decades of theft? Rangel’s the only man with a rent-controlled mansion.

He’s the guy who writes our tax laws but forgot to pay taxes on $75 grand in rental income! So why isn’t he the Treasury Secretary? Rangel runs more scams than a Nigerian Banker.

Barney Frank – he’s a better actor than Fred Flintstone. Consider… he and Dodd caused the whole financial meltdown and they’re not only not serving time with Bubba and Rodney, they’re still heading up the financial system!

Let’s all admit it… Barney Frank slobbers more than a sheepdog on novocaine. How did this guy get elected? Oh, that’s right… he’s from Massachusetts . That’s the state that elects Mr. Charisma, John Kerry —  man of the people!

You know, if Senator Dodd were any more crooked, you could open wine bottles with him. Here’s a news flash, Dodd: when your local newspaper calls you a “lying weasel”, it may be time to retire. Dodd’s involved in more shady deals than the Clintons . Even Rangel looks up to him!

Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, I really respect you… especially given your upbringing. All you’ve overcome… I heard your birth certificate is an apology from the condom factory. I don’t know what makes you so dumb, but it really works for you. Personally, I don’t think you are a fool, but what’s my opinion compared to that of thousands of others? Gibbs does his best expositional work in the bathroom every morning.

As for President Obama, what can I say? They say President Obama’s arrogant and aloof, but I don’t agree. Now it’s true when you enter the room, you have to kiss his ring. I don’t mind, but he has it in his back pocket. His mind is open to new ideas — so open that ideas simply pass through it.

Obama lies so much, I was actually surprised to find out his first name really was Barack. Just don’t ask about his middle name! But Obama was able to set a record… he actually lied more in 60 days than Bill Clinton. As far as his administration — what with the tax cheat and lobbyists — well, in the words of Patches O’Houlihan, “It’s like watching a bunch of retards trying to hump a doorknob out there.”

With all due respect.
FOR THOSE THAT VOTED FOR “HOPE AND CHANGE”……BEND OVER AND PREPARE TO RECEIVE YOUR BOUNTY.”

I have nothing to add. The guy is just on fire.

Happy Saturday all.

eric