A Message

"The Democratic Party is America's last, best hope to bridge the divisions of class, race, region, religion, ethnicity and sexual orientation."

Rhetoric on the common enemy: division.

"Democrats' are engaged in an unprecedented filibuster"

"the Republican Party is, in fact, a racist organization"

And a bunch more divisive stuff here.

Is there a new definition for "best hope," because I just don't see it.

Wow

This is just funny

America, the Envied Sleeping Giant

Found a very good piece on a website new to me as well.

Foreign Policy.com appears to be quite the well of information in the form of news and opinion, including conservative opinion, when it comes to, you know, foreign policy. It examines the actions, behaviors, and policies of the United States and just about every other country to get mentioned in the news.

Anyhow, this story by Michael Mandelbaum is pretty good, examining the U.S. hegemony, its differences from previous hegemons, and the global envy or hatred of America today. Here are a few good exerpts:

The rest of the world complains that American hegemony is reckless, arrogant, and insensitive. Just don’t expect them to do anything about it. The world’s guilty secret is that it enjoys the security and stability the United States provides.

Widespread complaints about the United States’ international role are met with an absence of concrete, effective measures to challenge, change, or restrict it. The gap between what the world says about American power and what it fails to do about it is the single most striking feature of 21st-century international relations. The explanation for this gap is twofold. First, the charges most frequently leveled at America are false. The United States does not endanger other countries, nor does it invariably act without regard to the interests and wishes of others. Second, far from menacing the rest of the world, the United States plays a uniquely positive global role. The governments of most other countries understand that, although they have powerful reasons not to say so explicitly.

Michael further goes on about the good things the U.S. provides, but rarely get mentioned:

... countries with opposing aims often simultaneously attempt to persuade the American government to favor their respective causes. That has sometimes led the United States to become a mediator for international conflict, between Arabs and Israelis, Indians and Pakistanis, and other sets of antagonists. That’s a role that other countries value.

The United States makes other positive contributions, albeit often unseen and even unknown, to the well-being of people around the world...For instance, U.S. military power helps to keep order in the world...The United States has also assumed responsibility for coping with the foremost threat to contemporary international security, the spread of nuclear weapons to “rogue” states and terrorist organizations. In many parts of the world, the United States serves as a convenient scapegoat for governments, a kind of political lightning rod to draw away from themselves the popular discontent that their shortcomings have helped to produce.

The next exerpt can be applied to domestic entitities such as looney leftist moonbats, as well as foreign countries:

Acknowledging [support for America's global role] would risk raising the question of why those who take advantage of the services America provides do not pay more for them. It would risk, that is, other countries’ capacities to continue as free riders, which is an arrangement no government will lightly abandon.

You can read the whole thing here.

There is also a good piece on the NRA playing global politics. Check it out.

Iran, the next Nazi Germany

In the midst of heavy, but not overwhelmingly pressed scrutiny from the UN over Iran's nuclear programs, increased talk about pre-emptive war, Ariel Sharon's stroke, and nuclear worries, Iran still refuses to share its nuclear plans.

Despite the collective eye on Iran, Iranian President and former hostage taker, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad continues his stand to:

"wipe Israel from the map" & "destroy America"

Europe has handled the situation, that is why it is soon to be in our hands, and if that fails, Israel's hands.

God willing, Iran will give in, and we will avoid a war, but the power to avoid such a thing is entirely in the hands of Iran and its leadership. But if push comes to shove..

Nevermind the fact that enlightened Europe has had its turn with Iran, or the global effort in trying to persuade Iran to stop, or the inevitable future talks with threats of meaningless UN sanctions, or the ultimatums; and nevermind Iran's failure to comply, some folks are just plain sick and evil. But that is exactly what the future war-protesters much like today's will be forgetting.

We will prevail nonetheless.

2nd Amendment Saturday

Thanks to David and his inspiring blog, the War on Guns, I have decided to post something in relation to one of our enumerated rights, the 2nd Amendment, every Saturday.

A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

"The Constitution preserves "the advantage of being armed which Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation. . . (where) the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms." --James Madison, The Federalist, No. 46

"When the resolution of enslaving America was formed in Great Britain, the British Parliament was advised by an artful man, who was governor of Pennsylvania, to disarm the people; that it was the best and most effectual way to enslave them; but that they should not do it openly, but weaken them, and let them sink gradually.". . . I ask, who are the militia? They consist now of the whole people, except a few public officers." --George Mason, Virginia's U.S. Constitution ratification convention, 1788

"No freeman shall ever be debarred the use of arms." --Thomas Jefferson, Proposed Virginia Constitution, June, 1776

"The said Constitution shall be never construed to authorize Congress to infringe the just liberty of the press, or the rights of conscience; or to prevent the people of the United States, who are peaceable citizens, from keeping their own arms." --Samuel Adams, Massachusetts' U.S. Constitution ratification convention, 1788

I don't know where in the Constitution the government is allowed to extensively limit, and further define an enumerated right is.

Abramoff is no Soros

Surfing today, found a rather interesting story on the MSM and their reporting of scandals such as the recent Abramoff story.

Accuracy in Media's editor Cliff Kincaid points out the differences in treatment of Abramoff and Soros:

While Abramoff made financial payments to two columnists, Soros has put some of is massive fortune into press groups like Investigative Reporters & Editors (IRE), the Fund for Investigative Journalism, and Center for Investigative Reporting.

These groups never subject Soros to scrutiny, except to strictly itemize how much money he is giving away. That earns him the title 'philanthropist' or 'financier,' but never 'inside trader.'

Read the whole thing.

God Bless Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has suffered what most are calling a massive stroke.

From my experience, one is never the same after a stroke, especially a major stroke.

No one knows what this means for the future of Israel or its policy, but Carl at No Oil for Pacifists has an excellent post.

I do know this means opportunity for both Israel and the Palestinians, hopefully something positive can come of this.

God bless Israel and God bless Ariel Sharon and his family.