LiberalLoather

Today, General Richard "Dick" Myers was honored for his service in a Retirement ceremony. As the Air Force Band struck up a tune, the field artillery pieces on the grounds opened up it's 21 gun salute. When the firing ended and the smoke was clearing away from the parade grounds a familiar repetetive tune could be heard in the background. It was the sound of someone's automotive security system-a horn-blasting steadily along in the silence between events. If I'm not mistaken, the commander-in-chief, himself, had a laugh about the amusing incident.

I don't really know whether or not to be pleased about the new Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. I think I am, but judging from past appointments I thought would be beneficial to the conservative cause, I can't come to a firm conclusion about him. I guess I'll know in a few years-oh, well!
I'm a little surprised that the two Democratic Senators from my state of Arkansas voted yes for his confirmation. I'm not too surprised about Mark Pryor-he has done a pretty good job representing our state and its people's values. I voted for Blanche Lincoln when she won her seat in the House, years ago. I haven't voted for her since. The way she has voted over the years has left me quite disappointed. Her disposition is on par with that of the "responsible and valiant", Kathleen Blanco, the "courageous" Louisiana Governor.
I never thought I would say this. Although I did not vote for Mark Pryor when he won his Senate seat, depending on the candidates who challenge him in the future-and depending on the positions he takes in the future-this old hillbilly may actually cast a vote for a Democrat running for national office.
I figure, since the liberal Democrats over at the Arkansas Blog are always down on Pryor, he must be doing something I like!

Here's his statement after the vote:

"I congratulate John Roberts on his confirmation to be the 17th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Supreme Court justices deserve a high threshold of review, and over the past few months, the Senate has fulfilled its duty in deliberating the Roberts nomination. Now, it is my sincere hope that John Roberts does his job by being a fair and impartial jurist, upholding the Constitution above all else.

I praise the President for consulting with Senators before picking Justice Roberts as a nominee; these efforts allowed him to select an individual who could have the broad support of the Senate. I look forward to the President engaging us again and nominating a consensus nominee that will unite us, not divide."

You can find a complete list of how Democrats voted here.
Notice the names, notice what areas of the country they represent-quite telling!

You don't need a special list for Republicans-they all voted "Aye"!

I thought this was pretty dang cool! Thanks Kent!

So, Dowdy Girl has decided to get in on the in-your-face political humor gig. She wrote at the end of her column in the hate-mongering NY Times, recently: "W. doesn't really need to worry about turning down the lights in the White House. The place is already totally in the dark."

I must say-this line is pretty good. However, when you read her entire column, you see that she will never be able to compete with the true Mistress of Political Satire, Ann Coulter. Maureen (I hate Bush) Dowd tries hard to capture the satirical humor that comes so easily to the great Mistress, but fails miserably. The main reason is that the content of her column, unlike Coulter's, is filled with falsehoods and distortions. Anne Coulter is dead on in her intended message in any given column or debate and she can make a person laugh out loud with no noticeable effort.

Keep trying, Dowdy-Girl-you may convince some of your decieved readers into believing that you are somebody.

The Democrats are destroying him. The Republicans are ripping his heart out. Since both parties seem to be seeking Michael Brown's downfall, vehemently, I must conclude that what he is saying must be very, very close to the truth!
Look at what is happening in the Democratric House. Nancy Lead-with-a-wetted-index-finger Pulosi and her solidarity of fools have polarized themselves just like a pile of rusty iron shavings over a magnet. The ignorant position her political strategy has led the House Democrats into is so obviously motivated-not by a desire to find the truth and fix problems, but to satisfy the base of hatred that has become the driving force behind their party.
Think about it-Pulosi is not allowing ANY Democratic member of Congress, other than those from the affected states, to participate in the House Select Committee's initial investigation into the problems revealed during the response to Katrina. Is that leadership? A political move at its most blatant and ignorant. The Democratic Party is putting all its money on their base of Bush-haters-except in the affected states where they are ALLOWING the members of Congress to participate....so they can appeal to their real base at home. The Democratic members who are participating in the investigation understand where their real duty is. What's sad is that all the other members do, as well, but choose to stand together in the circle of hate where they are so comfortable.
Michael Brown is being used as a scape-goat. The media and both political parties-no matter how they try-will never convince reasonable people otherwise. There were failures at all levels of government. No-one can reasonably come to any other conclusion. When there is no leadership, planning, or problem-solving at ground-zero of any given disaster location, the efforts of those trying to offer assistance from outside the area are greatly hampered. Every rational American sees that plainly!
Kathleen Blanco is appearing before the committee, today. Why should the Democrats want to question her when they have avoided mentioning her name throughout this whole ordeal.
Democrats, your unreasonable hatred is leading you down the road to irrelevence. Somehow that makes me feel warm and fuzzy all over!

Funny, funny, funny! The Dimocrats have announced they have a petition with 400,000 signatures collected by.....heh, heh, ....Moveon.org and ....err....umm....Democracy Now! The petition calls for an "Independent" Ivestigation into the Katrina response. They called the congressional hearings a "sham", yet Pulosi and company are in large part boycotting it. Great way to represent your side and glean info that might help in the future.

Get the inspectors out-call the coroners-check the death records, for sure!

Democrats don't want to find any problems and fix them-they want to start a political firestorm they foolishly think will give them an advantage during the '06 election!


LL prediction: Greedy, immoral Republicans and power-hungry, immoral Democrats will be replaced with right-thinkers-whether Democrat or Republican-in January of '07.

Just a thought I was thinking:

Why are there not breathalizers set up at the work entrances of every factory in America? I mean-good jobs aren't available to anyone who uses marijuana, however casually, if it means passing a test that might show positive for at-home use.
If this is really an insurance issue, shouldn't every person be screened for alcohol use? Have you ever known anyone to come to your workplace tipsy or even drunk?
There are many responsible families which are being harmed by this injustice perpetuated by big insurance companies. People who might never drink but may enjoy a joint every now and then.
Alcohol is far more incapacitating than marijuana-why are they not testing for its use?

Hypocrites-many more accidents at the work-place can be attributed to alcohol influence than marijuana influence-think it out!

I just watched the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, deliver a speech to his own Labour Party at its covention in Brighton. It was a brilliant speech delivered flawlessly and effectively. If George W. Bush had this man's speaking ability, his approval numbers would be the highest in history.
Mr. Blair has a good grasp of the whirlwind of change that his country and the rest of the world is experiencing. He stressed an important point about globalization-Britain's need to recognize opportunities and adapt to the changes. This is something that most Americans are ignorant of.
Many Americans don't realize what free-trade and the internet have brought upon us. It has forced us into a rapidly changing world that forces individuals into re-thinking those things taken for granted in Ameican society-immigration, law enforcement, social responsibility, etc. Most people's positions on these issues are forged from familiarity with the pre-free-trade and internet era. But in today's world, people must realize that adaptation is the key to navigating through the rapids of the river of change the world has been flooded with in the past few years.
Prime Minister Blair, while I disagree on many of his social programs (hey, it's their country-not mine), is right on when voicing his unpopular belief that Britain must remain the closest ally of the U.S.. He recognizes that the war against Islamic terrorism is both obligatory and neccesary. He knows the price if those who have committed themselves to the war effort suddenly succumb to the whining of those who don't understand.
Tony Blair is a great leader who will be remembered as such throughout the rest of human history. In the face of opposition, he stands firm and tall in the eyes of his political enemies-that's what leadership is.
George Bush has exhibited those qualities when it comes to terrorism, but has been week-at-the-knees concerning social and economical issues.
Mr. President, next time you're having tea with Mr. Blair, ask some advice!

I found a link, thanks to Slant Point, with a great photographic view of the anti-protest in Washington on Saturday. Enjoy!

If you noticed the comments on my last post dealing with the meager protest in Washington, this past weekend, you'll notice that an attendee stated that the event will have been effective if it persuaded just ONE person to come to their way of thinking. It's really funny when you think about it. The scumbags of American fringe society walked by the WhiteHouse, Saturday, displaying banners filled with hate. Communists, has been actresses, wannabe politicians and kids-without-a-clue joined together in unity! The unifying force? Hatred of the Right and George Bush.

I have to wonder-how many of the meager multitude, curious after a day of events surrounding the National Book Festival which also was ongoing, this weekend, came to the conclusion that this movement was filled with wierdos and hatemongers.

I say more were swayed AGAINST the anti-war movement than were persuaded to join it.

Great job, Mommy Sheehan! We need more rallies with the dregs of society spouting their hate!

Last Saturday, I was captivated by a debate between George Galloway, a radical, terrorist-loving, anti-war, British MP and the leftist-turned-righteous journalist, Christopher Hitchens. Here is a great article about the debate which hits the nail right on the head in its description and analysis!

Where have all the ninnies gone? Not to D.C.-not today. Today, September 24th, 2005 has been advertised as a massive protest against the Iraq war. On C-SPAN, where I ventured to have peek at the activities, there appeared a modest crowd of a very few hundred. I remember "mommy" Sheehan saying that "hundreds of thousands of protesters" would descend on Washington on this date. Where are they? Heck, there were as many somber-faced people with their arms folded in the crowd who were obviously there to observe the insanity without taking part in the Bush hatred.
Ralph Nader addressed a crowd of fewer than two-hundred. Jessica Lange, fangs bared, ranted about how much she hates our president. Communists from the Philippines and the United States, alike, pleaded there cases before the meager multitude. Black racists, intent on getting their just reward, spewed out more venom towards the leadership of our nation and those who don't share the color of their skin.
There were many sides of America protesting. All of their causes united in a single theme: "We hate George W. Bush"-quite a protest platform.
I'm sure we will begin to hear the whining idiots accusing the MSM of ignoring them, but how many "Hundred-Man" rallies can they cover without losing revenue? No-one cared enough to go to Washington to participate-why should anyone expect there to be an audience for the farce if televised?
Personally, I think all networks should have run the complete protest-start to finish- in order to display to reasonable Americans what crack-pots are fueling this anti-war mood.

I've been watching a call-in segment on Washington Journal, this morning. Brain Lamb is hosting, and Jonah Goldberg, a conservative columnist is the guest. The discussion has been about Bush and his policies. One caller from North Carolina, a fellow-hillbilly judging from his deep southern accent, made a wonderfully delicious quote referencing Dubya's "compassionate conservative" record.
He said: "Most of these folks would rather be PROMISED something by Democrats than GIVEN something by Republicans."

How utterly true. This fact reveals the obvious insanity running through the left. These people have been so deceptive that they have decieved themselves.

George Bush, to my disappointment, has been the biggest spender on social programs of any president in at least a generation-maybe two!

Wake up, people! You leftist non-thinkers are not only destroying yourselves-you're ripping the heart and soul out of our great nation. I don't believe that peace can last in our streets for very much longer. I have faith in those who see America for what it is-a shining city on a hill! I have absolutely NO faith in anyone who bends to the left-Democrat OR Republican. The left sees this great nation as an embarassment. This divide, in my way of thinking, may never be eliminated.

Question:

Why has the Oil Company's profits quadrupled and my gas bills doubled? Something needs to be done about this injustice!

The phenomenon known as Katrina is still sweeping through the nation's south. While the rain-bands and brutal winds have long gone, and the storm surge has receded, waves of fear are transforming southern Texas.
Some "evacuees" have spent 8-10 hours on Interstate 45, trying to flee north from the approach of Katrina's big sister, Rita. There have been reports of people running out of gas in the midst of a jam-packed freeway. Others are actually pushing their vehicles along in order to conserve the gas they have in their tanks.
Along the coast, human life has essentially ceased to exist. The cities and towns have been deserted by their inhabitants fearful of the destructive power observed along the Mississippi Gulf coast during Katrina's furious landfall.
Fear....it seems to be a driving force, anymore. Fear of terrorism, crime and weather. Fear of our nation unraveling-splitting it's inseam.
But, you know what? With all this darkness seemingly closing around us, there is light. Many deny it. Others mistake lesser darkness for light. But the Glory of God is ever bright. Through all the mess we are going through-and I believe we will continue to go through-there is a solid rock that we can grab hold of. It's Christ, the GLory of God. And where comfort is needed, the Spirit of God provides.
Some will scoff at my words and reject them as fantasy-a result of being brainwashed by religion. I'll never understand how those people could reject the truth, comfort, love, and peace that they so desire.
Thank God I have somewhere to place my confidence in these troubling times.

Some liberal Democrats have recently told me that they would vote for a Republican candidate like John McCain. I don't believe them, but will accept their word for now. I want to say that I would vote for a Democrat-if he we agreed on certain things.
1) Abortion is Murder because it diregards the personal rights of the affected life and is in itself an act of personal irresponsibility on the part of the mother.
2) Homosexuality is sexual perversion and should not be forced on moral society.
3) Adultery is sexual perversion and should not be forced on maral society.
4) Personal responsibility should be the goal-not keeping the poor down in order to have a ready supply of votes.

There are many other things that a Democratic candidate would have to prove to me in order to get my vote. Mind you-I wouldn't vote for John McCain.

This is my problem. Except for a very few nationally elected Democrats, the Party has decided that it will accept those things that I vehemently oppose. I can't vote for someone who thinks that personal responsibility only applies if one wants to apply it and that the government should pick up the pieces of irresponsible people's mistakes-no matter how many times the irresponsible behaviour is exhibited.

Harry Reid is a perfect example of why the Democratic Party is in decline. He's a weak little man who can't do the right thing because he feels he may offend those baby-killers and perverts who put him in office. He's not an isolated example, however.
As one looks at the rhetoric from Senate Democrats and the pundits of the left, you see this trend throughout the party.
You know, it's the time of year where Americans will begin seeing the annual mass-migrations of birds to the south. Remember those drives in the fall where you see the untold thousands of blackbirds flying en-masse? Where they light in trees, on high-line wires or fields in their multitudes-chirping and rattling off in a giant chorus of blackbird voices? You know-they fly as one unit following the lead of whatever bird may take a notion to change course?
This is what the left-wing Democrats remind me of. A bunch of blackbirds on a fence raising hell, stripping the land clean of anything useful, distorting the view as a fog does and shitting on everything in their path.
But you have to admire the unity they are bringing-maybe not to the Democratic Party-but to the liberal left of the nation. Hell, they even can claim solidarity with the other flocks in foriegn countries.
You also have to admire that they have leveled their playing field. You could replace any left-wing Senator or U.S. Representative in congress with any Michael Moore, uninformed high-schooler/college student, PETA member and they could all be as effective as the lawyers who hold the elected positions.
Like a bunch of blackbirds-following each other's leads. squawking about antything and everything and squirting crap all over each other.
Harry Reid is a joke. So is the rest of the Democratic left.

Recently, the staff of Young America's Foundation asked for it's Club 100 members to submit articles as a chance to win a columnist spot in their organization. Here is the latest published article.

Mohammed's Miscalculation

by Paul Ibrahim, Club 100 Columnist

Four years ago this month, nineteen terrorists murdered many of our finest heroes and destroyed some of our grandest buildings. In addition to killing 3,000 innocent civilians, they harmed our economy and, for a long time, instilled a sense of fear in many Americans. They certainly succeeded in dealing a huge blow to our beloved homeland. It would be rather interesting, however, to temporarily bring back September 11th ringleader Mohammed Atta, revisit the landmark events since that day, and perhaps get his perspective on the impact of his acts.

We would start right here in the United States—the land he loathed so much that he blew himself up to prove it. We would look at images of America in its most beautiful state in the days and weeks following 9/11: the deluge of compassion, the extent of heroism, and the unity of white and black, old and young, conservative and liberal. We would examine the plans for the Freedom Tower, the Flight 93 National Memorial in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, and perhaps take a moment of silence in the Pentagon chapel built at the site of the crash there.

After stopping at a few elite universities for Mohammed to greet some fans, we would leave for Afghanistan, where he met with Osama Bin Laden. We could visit the empty terrorist training camps, including his own at Khalden, once filled with his fellow, young fanatics. The Kabul locals would probably invite us to join one of their soccer games at the stadium once used for public executions. If a high school classroom was in session, Mohammed might, for the first time, see the faces—literally—of Afghanistan’s newly educated women. And just think, the September 11th attacks made all of these changes possible.

Of course, Iraq would be another country to explore. Since 2003, Iraq ceased to be under the brutal grip of Saddam Hussein, who starved his own people to build palaces and fund terrorism. We could visit Olympic athletes training for their respective sports without fear of torture and perhaps go north to watch the Kurds dig up mass graves, a reminder of a tragedy that will never again occur. Should Mohammed inquire about the purple finger phenomenon, we can sit down and retrace the Iraqi timeline for a fully functioning democracy. He might then understand the irony of having been a major factor in creating this new, free Iraq.

But the liberation of Afghanistan, which was a direct result of the terrorist attacks on the United States, and the subsequent liberation of Iraq are not the end of it. We could also take a look at Egypt, Mohammed’s native country, and examine how his suicide mission is still having an effect there and on the rest of the region. Almost precisely four years after September 11th, 2001, Egypt held its first contested presidential elections during Hosni Mubarak’s reign. Although by no means were these free and fair elections, Mubarak, for the first time, received less than 90% of the vote, and a low turnout of 23% tainted his victory. September 11th initiated the rise of democracy in the Middle East, and unknowingly, Mohammed Atta sowed the seeds of freedom in his homeland by flying a plane into the World Trade Center.

While we’re at it I could inform Mohammed about the disarmament of Libya, the liberation of Lebanon from Syrian occupation, the free elections in the Palestinian territories, and the gradual opening of the Gulf countries to democratic ideals. All of these are related events, brought about by an American foreign policy that seeks to fight terrorism with democracy. The September 11th attacks represented the beginning of a great battle, and so far, we are clearly winning.

Before letting Mohammed go, however, I would share with him the impact that September 11th had on me. Before the attacks, having immigrated to the U.S. from Lebanon a few years before, I was stuck in an Arab-European mindset of seeing American foreign policy as aggressive and insensible. Then Mohammed and eighteen other extremists, representing a sizeable constituency in the Muslim world, rammed planes full of American civilians into buildings full of more American civilians. The Pentagon was only a few miles from my high school, and on that Tuesday morning, I watched many of my classmates endure the trauma of not knowing the status of their parents, relatives, and friends.

Until that day, I was naïve. I had fallen into the trap of moral relativism, giving as much respect to the lifestyles of barbarians as I did to Western, and particularly American, civilization. Once I began developing my understanding of the world, it seemed clear to me that with the fanaticism, backwardness, and totalitarianism found in the Third World, and with the secularism and weak spirits that had come to dominate Europe, America was the only hope left for the world. The September 11th terrorists understood this fact as well and hence, tried to defeat America. Fortunately, the plan backfired on them.

Along with eighteen others, Mohammed Atta managed to unite Americans and convince many, such as myself, of the righteousness of America’s cause. He paved the path for the defeat of Islamo-fascists in Afghanistan, the liberation of Iraq, the disarmament of Libya, the decline of Arab totalitarianism in the Middle East, the democratic elections of the Lebanese and Palestinians, and the even bigger presence of American forces around the world. A slight miscalculation on your part, wouldn’t you say, Mohammed?

Published at Club 100 on September 20th, 2005.

Visit YAF's site. Besides the great pieces like this, there are always interesting subjects being discussed by bright and thoughtful young conservative activists. For some reason, lefties who venture there don't often hang around too long.

As mentioned earlier,I spent most of the past week in the hospital. I want to share a story from my experience.

Before you get offended at me for this story, please, appreciate the humor.

This past Thursday, while lying in a hospital bed, I enjoyed a humorous encounter with someone of a faith different than my own-a Catholic volunteer chaplain. Now, I must "let the cat out of the bag", so to speak. I'm an independent fundamental Baptist. To those of you who might not know the significance of that, it means that I come from a stripe which is considered the Baptist "extreme right". For those of you who still aren't clear as to what I'm getting at, it means that Baptists and Catholics don't often see eye to eye.
The hospital where my surgery was performed is in the beautiful city of Mountain Home, Arkansas. It is a rapidly growing city situated between two fantastic man-made lakes. It has for many years been a sort of retirement area for yank....er...umm...the northern elderly. Many couples who have earned their "nest-egg" and have raised their families in the north have come to this awesome area to live out their lives, together. My home is about 50 miles south of the area.
My uncle, who also happens to be my pastor, drove up to see me on Thursday. Just after he arrived, an elderly man knocked on the door, then came in and introduced himself as a volunteer. He said in a voice that was not at all unusual, if not a little nervous: "It's a beautiful day outside, today, isn't it?" This was the point where I had my first urge to snicker.
I mean, it WAS a beautiful day, outside. The partly cloudy sky was clear and bright and the temperatures were MUCH lower than normal. It was a day I would have enjoyed doing something outside-and probably would have-if not for the situation I was in.
Anyway, after a couple of minutes of nervous chit-chat, my friend, the volunteer, asked if he could pray for me. My pastor was standing beside him, my wife and parents also in the room, I said: "Sure!".
Now, I don't really know what I was expecting. Maybe just a couple of lines asking God to be with me during surgery or something....you know. He takes my hand-and and as everyone in the room respectfully bowed their heads- this good and kind old-man began.
Do any of you remember the movie "The Princess Bride"? You remember-Robin Wright, Carey Elwes, Andre the Giant and all them? Do you remember the priest who performed the wedding ceremony? Yep....you guessed it! My friendly Catholic volunteer chaplain broke into a sing-song rendition of "The Lord's Prayer" which I swear would rival the utterly humorous: "Ma-widge" and "Wuv, twoo wuv" of those great scenes.
That was the point where I had to not only restrain myself from snickering, but also from bursting out laughing, outright!
As he continued his recital and I regained my composure under cover of bowed heads and the musical quality of the prayer, I thought how much I appreciated this man who I had never met. He did not have to spend his time offering comfort to me. As sick as I was, I probably had more mobility and energy than he. But I want you to know that he was appreciated.
As he neared the end of his prayer, he said: "In the name of....". I couldn't resist....I had to lift an eyelid....YES....he did it. A genuine genuflect! I was genuflected over! Not just a coy, little movement of the hand-but a great sweeping/jabbing action! This, of course, was the third time I had to physically and mentally haul back on the reins of the bucking bronco of my laughter!
I never expected this encounter. I enjoyed it and will probably always remember it. When a Baptist and a Catholic joined hands in prayer.

My family and I enjoyed a moment or two of laughter after my volunteer had gone.


Originally posted at Club 100

I've been in the Hospital for the last five days. Emergency gall-bladder surgery. Back home, today-doing fine,thanks.
A certain Community College Conservative had posted a great article over at Club 100 concerning a recent objective look at the Katrina events of the past few weeks. It seems that LL was right (as always....hee-hee).

Here it is:

September 19, 2005
Bush Offering a Hand Up, Not Handouts
By Michael Barone

It is now possible to see more accurately the dimensions of the damage wrought by Katrina on New Orleans. There were many fewer deaths than people feared -- far fewer than Mayor Ray Nagin's guess of 10,000 -- and evidently many more people managed to evacuate than we thought. Not all the horrors reported at the Superdome and the Convention Center actually happened. The water still covering much of the city is not as toxic as was feared.

By no means all the worst damage was done to black neighborhoods: The 17th Street levee break first flooded the heavily white Lakeview area west of City Park (the only part of New Orleans that voted for George W. Bush in 2004), and there was huge devastation not only in the heavily black Lower Ninth Ward, but also in heavily white St. Bernard Parish just to the east.

It is possible also to get a better gauge of the mistakes made by the local, state and federal governments. The mainstream media have been concentrating on blaming the Bush administration, and in fact FEMA seems to have operated without the required sense of urgency and with an overpunctilious regard for red tape. But others erred, too.

As one New Orleans evacuee in the Houston Astrodome told an ABC News reporter after George W. Bush's speech in Jackson Square, "I feel like our city and our state government should have been there before the federal government was called in. They should have been on their jobs. ... I mean, they had RTA buses, Greyhound buses, school buses that was just sitting there going underwater when they could have been evacuating people."

It's also obvious that much of the most effective aid came from the private sector. The Red Cross and the Salvation Army were there quickly with food and water, though the Louisiana state government barred them from the Superdome. Wal-Mart donated $17 million and used its amazing distribution systems to send down the things that were needed, and had 111 of its 126 closed stores open within days.

In Jackson Square, Bush found his voice for the first time since the levees broke. He described the people he had seen on the ground and the recovery work that had already been done. He promised to rebuild the Gulf Coast and re-engineer New Orleans, and added -- wisely, in view of Louisiana's heritage of corruption -- that inspectors general would oversee the spending.

But despite the Great Society tone of his speech, he did not promise another Great Society. He proposed instead a Gulf Opportunity Zone -- presumably, a tax-free status to encourage investment. He called for Worker Recovery Accounts of up to $5,000 for job training, education and childcare. He proposed an Urban Homesteading Act on federal lands.

Bush's liberal critics have been hoping that the Katrina disaster would increase support for big government, and they have a point when they say that there are some things only government must do and that it -- or they: local, state, federal -- must do them well. Bush's proposals use government differently. Like the GI Bill of Rights and the no-down-payment VA home mortgages of Franklin Roosevelt, Bush's Worker Recovery Accounts and Urban Homesteading would help people out, but only those who in turn do something to lift themselves up. And his Opportunity Zone turns on its head the liberal notion that the most effective way to help the poor and helpless is to tax everyone else heavily and hand out money to those in need.

Lower taxes and less bureaucracy, Bush is saying, will enable people in the private sector to build the kind of self-propelling economy that offers everyone a chance out of poverty.

How effective these ideas will be remains to be seen. Some large numbers of evacuees will not return to New Orleans -- many seem to be finding more opportunity than they ever had there in Houston or Dallas. But the response to Katrina does show that it is unwise to place all your reliance on a supposedly all-seeing, all-knowing government.

Government could have performed better than it did this time, but even if it had, the private sector, with the dedication of the nonprofits and the suppleness of a Wal-Mart, would have been necessary to an optimum response. As FDR offered veterans six decades ago, so Bush today is offering not handouts, but a hand up. The GIs then did much better than expected. Perhaps the Gulf Coast and New Orleans victims of Katrina will, too.

Copyright 2005 Creators Syndicate
___

Thanks Ana!

I've been getting more and more disgusted as I hear both Republicans and Democrats discuss Katrina's aftermath. The Democrats are clearly attempting to politicize this tragedy by blaming The Bush administration for the ineffective response. Republicans are going CRAZY-giving away money-MINE and YOURS-irresponsibly. I have some things to say about both. I'll deal with the Republicans, first.
Yes there was a level of incompetence in FEMA. Yes it was Bush's fault, in part, because he appointed an obviously unqualified man for such an important position. But I believe the president has made things happen since he realized what a lack of leadership was in New Orleans. I'll concede that the administration seemed not to realize the magnitude. "Blame Game" aside-this is why I'm so upset with Republicans-why is our government going to "invest" in the rebuilding of homes and businesses in a such disaster-prone area? I mean-those property owners who found themselves wiped out by Katrina's fury and were uninsured-if we are going to rebuild these people's lives because they make the choice to live in an area where they are put at risk several times a year, shouldn't we require a little responsibility on their part? Is my compassion to be taken for granted and used as insurance or collateral against their irresponsible decisions?
If we pay to rebuild these people's places, this time, they should have to sign some kind of waiver which releases the American taxpayer from any responsibility to do so in the future! If they decide to relocate, let's have the government buy them out and reclaim the land. They could sell to developers who could afford to pay insurance premiums. That should make the fat-cat corporations happy. It would also mean that a great deal of coastal land can be reclaimed as wetlands and natural habitats. That should satisfy the environmentalists. We can't just keep paying to rebuild people's lives over and over and over again!
Now for the Democrats.
Question-who should be held responsible for the security of temporary shelters in any given district? Who should be held responsible for having those shelters properly supplied? Who should be held responsible in any town/city/county/parrish for having its most vulnerable citizens cared for during times of crisis? Who is responsible when helpless elderly men and women drown in their nursing home beds? It is this hillbilly's opinion that those responsible for the deaths of the sick, elderly, and children during the first few days of the tragedy was clearly the local government-city/parrish/state. The Democratic Mayor, Ray Nagin, though he has at least recognized some of his failures, was completely negligent. How could he let this happen to HIS constituents? Kathleen Blanco-how could she have been MORE incompetent? She REFUSED to allow help into the affected area! Was SHE the one who tried to carry out the "genocide" that has been alleged by some?
My father was in the U.S. Navy from the time I was 2 years-old until just after I left for Basic-training at Lackland Air Force Base. I lived in California, Washington State, Japan, Norfolk, Greece among other places during my childhood. I went to 26 different schools during my 13 years of primary education-many on military installations. I say this for no other reason than to let any reader know that I am in no way, biggoted towards race-I accept every person I meet and respect them. At least until they show a disrespect of me.
I watched an older white-man, this week, on one of the cable networks. His devastated home was visible in the background. He said: "They ain't nobody to blame but myself." Later, on another channel, I saw an interview with an 18-20 year-old African-American woman in New Orleans. Sobbing back tears, she said: This has changed me. It's made me look at my life..I don't want to live like that way, anymore. I'll be doing things different from now on."
To the poor and-as has been well discussed during the coverage of Katrina's effects on New Orleans-to Blacks. I hope this tragedy that has befallen you and your neighbors will prompt you to see who cares for you and your neighbor, most. I hope you understand-as long as you stay dependent on government, you'll not have the experience of depending on yourselves. As long as you depend on government, you'll continue to vote those into office who will help you to continue that cycle of living from paycheck to paycheck. The Democrats know this. They also know that they are not helping you to better your own lives by giving you the things you can get for yourselves. They also know that as long as you depend on government to take care of your basic needs, you will continue to vote for them. It's a vicious cycle they have inserted you into. I hope the many of you who are poor....or...poor AND black victims of Katrina will see the opportunity you have to break the chains that the Democratic party has put upon you and "your people". The same for other ethnicities which are being manipulated and used by the dishonorable Democratic party.
I believe that moral libertarianism-a philosophy that says mankind should be able to enjoy life as it chooses...as long as no harm is brought to another-is the proper political position. This position requires the very thing that the Democratic party and the rest of the left have rejected-personal responsibility.
The Democrats depend on government dependents. Don't let them depend on you!
If you read anything on this great blogosphere, you'll clearly see where real tolerance lies. It's not with the left, who attempt to silence any voice which disagrees with their philosophy. It's with those of us who want to see a better, more moral and tolerant America. And we are depending on you.

I learned a new phrase, today! My uncle came by and told me he had heard it on a late-nite talk-radio show.. I googled the phrase-"poverty pimps"-and came up with an absolute jewel from Thomas Sowell.

I'm getting weary of the Katrina coverage. The more I watch and read about this natural diasaster, the less guilty I feel for not doing more to help. Call me callous and selfish-I don't really care.
When I see people who have probably never held a steady job-don't want to-don't need to because they know someone, probably government, will be there for them no matter what actions they, themselves, take-telling the cameras that someone NEEDS to send them the neccesities for life, it pisses me off!
How dare these irresponsible people, city governments and state governments expect others to bail them out after they have been so negligent in their own responsibilities?
"There oughta be a law"! A law that congress passes that says if you build, buy or rent in a hazardous area, you have absolutely no right to help from any other entity when your property is destroyed or your life is in danger.
It is not right that one person can irresponsibly put another's property and time up as collaterral against catastrophe.
I no longer want my tax-dollars to be spent on multi-million dollar Malibu estates. I can't fathom feeding idiots who care nothing about my needs and have put themselves in vulnerable positions. I don't want to pay for the rebuilding of casinos on the Gulf. If someone spends their entire life-savings on a Gulf-front property, they should do so without expecting me and the rest of the nation to replace their loss.
I'm as compassionate as the next person. I'm tired of people taking advantage of the compassion of our nation's citizens-irresponsibly and without permission to do so!

Compassion should not be viewed as collaterral against catastrophe. People should exercise personal responsibility and not depend on others for their needs. This would be helpful in all areas of peoples' lives.

First things first. I've got to say this about Randall Robinson. For someone who claims to be a champion of his own people, he doesn't seem to give them a whole lot of credit. Niether do those emotional observers who agree with his "racism" comments. Why is the media and blogosphere filled with so much incompetence?
This ties in, nicely, with the subject indicated by the title of this post. George Bush has been criticized, accused of racism and genocide-he's run the gauntlet. Even the mayor of New Orleans, Ray Nagin-the same one who was also criticizing Bush earlier in the week-has begun to realize what actually took place. The governor of the state of Louisiana,Kathleen Blanco, decided she needed a full day to respond to the options presented to her by the president while on board Air Force One.
There has been negligence and incompetence at work during this Katrina catastrophe, the actions-more appropriately, inactions of the Democratic governor is glaring proof of it!

I've been in St. Louis for the last three days. I've watched the horrors of Katrina's aftermath unfold sporadically on the motel's TV set. Got back home, last night-late, and when I got up and went to town, this morning, I found that our little hamlet will be hosting a modest number of Katrina's "refugees". My wife and I have been wondering how we could help and now the opportunity has presented itself. I offered our names, this morning, as volunteers.
I've also found that my predictions of the beginning of the week have come to fruition. I knew (and voiced) that the left would try and divide our nation even more than they have already done, in an attempt to score points, politically. It makes me laugh to think that a shmuck like Robert Kennedy Jr. could place blame on the Bush Administration for the ongoing events which have resulted from this tragedy. The "global warming" myth raises it's rediculous head....and some will fall for it, thinking it is true. It is so indicative of the desire on the part of the left to capitalize on tragedy. It is so telling of the stategy of liberals, which depends on the gullible and the vulnerable.
Katrina is a national tragedy. It should pull the good out of us. It seems to be showing the worst of the "compassionate" left.


If leftist Democrats are going to start assigning blame-they need to keep those in mind who should have been on the ball figuring out a way to protect and defend the city they ran or the state they governed. The Democratic leadership in the state of Louisiana and the city of New Orleans has shown itself to be completely not up to the task.

If you want to read sensible science-read this blog!

The "science" you hear about "global-warming" is every bit as reliable as the "science" concerning "evolution". "Science" based on biased assumptions put forth by people who have a clear agenda.