I suppose that this is why I don't get paid to write

This link is written by a professional writer, but he makes many of the same points that I have tried to make in the past. Only too often, it seems that those on the Left want Iraq to be another Viet Nam. They ignore the differences including facts, and concentrate on the few similarities that exist. As the article leads off with, Sen. Leahy has already declared defeat, when there is nothing to support his assertion.
The only thing that I would add to the above article is that our lack of consistancy more than anything else contributed to 9-11. Most people cannot even remember the Mayaguez incident, or the surprise in the world when Iran was allowed to continue as a whole country after they seized our embassy. Throw on Desert One, the Marine barracks fiasco in Lebanon, our lack of response when the Marine Colonel was kidnapped and executed Klinghoffer was executed in his wheel chair and shoved overboard, and his killer allowed to live in Baghdad. Not to mention Black Hawk Down, the African embassy bombings and the USS Cole, and we gave everyone in the region the idea that we were a paper tiger, just someone to push around and humiliate.
Simple consistancy is more effective in the long run than violent outbursts at random intervals. For example, the Marine Corps Hymn includes the phrase "From the Halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli." In Tripoli, the Bey had been allowing pirates to capture American shipping in the region. By sending in the Marines, the US demonstrated that we were a force to be considered. It provided for a very long period of stability, which only ended after Viet Nam.
Declaring defeat now, when we are making progress will continue the fine tradition we have demonstrated since 1973. Finishing the job may just prevent the need to ever demonstrate our weakness again.

Free Speech contributions

In Seattle apparently you cannot express an opinion on a political issue over the airwaves. What is really fun to me, is that Fisher claims that the "speech" is worth $20,000. Hmm, if only I could paid at that rate.
Unfortunately, my opinions like most of the blogosphere is really only worth .02 cents. Do I still have to file anything with the FEC?

Cia vs the White House

Hat tip to Viceroy's Fuguestate for this link.
My experience with the CIA has never been positive. I came from a military background where integrity is the most important thing ever. But the CIA guys that I knew lied so oftem that I don't think that they ever knew the truth about anything. This is not to say that they weren't all charming and intelligent, but you could never trust them for anything, not even their real name.
My favorite story about the CIA was when there was an earthquake in Nicuarauga, and the Sandinistas blamed the CIA for it. The CIA public affairs office said "I can neither confirm nor deny that we caused the earthquake." What a hoot, no one has the capability of starting an earthquake, but they were willing and hoping that people would think that they might.
The CIAs failures of late have been without parallel. They missed on Pakistan getting a nuke, missed the actual strength of the Soviet Union, got it wrong about WMDs in Iraq, totally blew 9-11 and they still want people to think they know what they are doing.
What is really interesting about the Plame kerfluffle, is why send Joe Wilson? Why not just use the CIA station chief for Niger? Why an amateur, who doesn't know what he is doing?
There are too many questions here to let it go. Unfortunately, since Bush is in the crosshairs, I doubt that it will be fully investigated.

They do Exist!

There are, thank God, some Republicans who are interested in trying to get a grip on spending. It's hard to imagine that Ronald Reagan's party has surrendered to the idea that they can buy the public's affection the way that they have.
Denny Rehberg has said that as a member of the Republican Study Commission that he is working on ways to cut spending. This just before he was trumpeting some $6 Million that he brought to Montana. I will see at the end of the week whether he is serious or just trying to blow me off.
Dave, get ready, we will be needing you if he does.

Update
As shown here there are more than a few people who have had it with pork.
A good reason to be against pork is also located here. to decide that a federal building needs a $60 million garden, more than people need AIDs medecine is insulting.
Time for a Revolution.

Good CBS review of Conservative Infighting

In the article above, the author makes some very good points. But my favorite is the one about it being a battle of ideas. Contrast that with the Democratic infighting, and you see that Republicans are more interested in ideas, and the Democrats with gaining power.

Number 2000

Well, after days of waiting, the anti war crowd has finally gotten their magic number. I am sure that many of them are regretting that he had to die in a hospital and not in some fiery explosion, detonated by their "freedom fighters."
I understand that many anti war groups are going to be having parties to celebrate this milestone. And all I can say is, they are totally unworthy of being in the same room, much less earning the respect that these young men and womem who have shown their valor and courage so many times over.
When you are in combat, the worst thing in the world is the total arbitrariness, and random luck that goes on around you. I always felt upset when someone was shooting in my general direction, but found it particuarly insulting to think that I may be hit by some idiot who wasn't even aiming at me, but missed his target and hit me instead. Not to mention those days when you think that this is the one. The one I won't get out of in one piece. You just know that your luck has run out. But still you go on, and more than 99 times out of 100 you were wrong, and thank your lucky stars.
Too many of my fellow citizens only have knowledge of the military from Oliver Stone or Michael Moore. They think that we were or are just the dregs of society without any motivation or ambition of our own, or just trying to escape from poverty. The condescending attitude that they demostrate is just one more insult that we were forced to take and keep our mouths shut.
The soldiers who are there deserve more than just being considered a pawn in the anti's war against George Bush. They are doing more to change the world than the anti war crowd will ever be able to accomplish. Everyone of them knows that they are mortal, as we all are, but speaking personally, I am sure that they too would rather believe that if they have to die, and no one wants to, that their death will have some meaning. To pull out before the job is done will mean that 2000 soldiers will have been robbed of any meaning to their deaths. I really hope that no one would be so selfish. Unfortunately, too many people hate George Bush so much, they are willing to rob better people than they of any meaning in their lives and their deaths.
For shame.

Lies and WMDs

It has become an article of faith, that the issue of WMDs were solely created by the Bush administration to justify having a war for oil. (It worked so well, we are just drowning in cheap oil right now.)
But the truth is, as shown in the above link that everyone believed the Iraqis had WMDs and were working specifically on some sort of nuke. Clinton bombed Iraq for 4 days because he believed that they had WMDs
So, the next time someone starts yelling "Bush lied, people died" point them to this analysis, and clarify for them that while they may be mistaken, they can correct the mistake. If on the other hand they persist, tell the world what liars they really are.

The Plame Kerfluffle

Barone has a good take on this. I find it ironic that a story that deals with leaks is fueled entirely by leaks. But the real problem is that the laws that were supposed to be the basis for "Perp walking" Rove and Libby out of the White House do not apply. Instead, there may be prosecution for perjury about a non-crime.
I know that the Left has adopted Amb. Wilson as some sort of savant who bravely opposed the Bush administration in its march to war. Of course, Wilson, as the Senate Intelligence Committee found, is a terrific liar. The only way to ignore this, is to have such hatred and bile that you overlook the facts in your attempts to destroy your enemy.
I heard counselling can help with this problem. I highly recommend giving it a try.

Racism and Racists

The link above is particuarly disturbing when you contrast it with the uproar over Bill Bennett's hypothetical. I suppose that it is excused because the speaker in the link above is Black. So, we can never hold Black people to any standard of decent behavior, because of all of the trauma that Black people have suffered.
Hmmm, I don't suppose that that would be racists now would it? Let's see, if you ascribe a lack of responsibility to act in a decent manner because of their skin color, that to me would be racist.
When I was in my last tour in Germany, I shared an office with the head of the Junior NAACP in Europe. He told me that all white people were racists because they benefit from a society that rewards white people at the expense of Black ones. I pointed out to him that there were more poor white people than Black ones, and to categorically assign a trait or action to all people of a certain color is racist in itself. He then told me that Black people can't be racists. At that point I had to gieve up. What can you say to such an argument?

Tom Delay Arraignment

Bill Clinton was always blessed with enemies who were so obsessed with trying to bring him down that they invariably acted stupidly. Seems as though Tom Delay's enemies are no diferent. His booking photo is a prime example. With his goofy grin, who do you think would rather use it in a campaign brochure, Democrats or Republicans?
Then to top it off, after the DA shops around, and then brow beats a grand jury into submission, he gets an indictment for something that wasn't a crime when it occurred. In embarassment, he has to refile a new charge, in which the allegation is based on a document that he doesn't have. Then, the final act in this farce, he selects a judge who gave money to MoveOn.org.
At a news conference afterwards, Ronny Earle says that if a judge gives money to Crimestoppers, he would not be expected to recuse himself from a burglary case. True, but a burglar is in an illegal activity. So far, at least, being a Republican is not yet illegal. A better example, would be a judge who is going to try a member of the Black Panther party, and the judge had recently donated to the KKK. You can see where the defendant may not think that the judge will be impartial.
I am amazed at how stupid Ronny Earle is in this matter. He has all of the wit and intelligence of a bulldog, undeterred by a smarter enemy, he forges ahead, undaunted by the facts or the evidence, never mind the perception. Tom Delay is going to win this, and in the long term, make every Democratic accusation of criminal behavior look like naked partisanship whether valid or not.
If I was Ronny Earle, I would have just gone after the two minions of Delay, and left him alone until I could get a coerced agreement to have one of the defendants testify against him. Even that is problematic, since a turncoat is rarely trusted by anyone.
Having opened the door to criminalizing political conduct, I wonder if Ms. Pirro will now indict Sen. Schumer for violations of the federal credit act. Maybe not, maybe the Republicans will act like adults, even while the Democrats don't.

Iraqi vote

I started looking for coverage of the Iraqi vote starting Friday night, and after the football games. There was really very little about what is one of the most historic actions in the Middle East. Perhaps if there had been more car bombs or beheadings, then it would have warranted more coverage.
In a country that just three years ago had a policy to reward children who rat out their parents for less than patriotic feelings, it is incredible that a people who had been so successfully cowed for so long, are actually taking part in deciding their country's future.
I will admit, that there was a period of time lately, when I was beginning to wonder if we would actually see this through. I lnow that Bush's popularity drops will cause many politicians to reconsider what we are doing there, but I also believe that Bush is more likely to stick it through to the end.
If almost 2000 deaths are to mean anything, we need to finish the job.
God bless the Iraqi people.

Howard Dean vs. Letterman

I haven't seen this anywhere else, and because it was right before I went to sleep, it may have been a dream. But last Wednesday night, Howard Dean was on the Late Show with David Letterman. I asn't all that excited, but my wife (the good Democrat) was excited to see the leader of her party.
The amusing thing about the interview, was that Dave (whose humor I usually find sophmoric.) did not do a softball interiew. When Dean started going on about how evil Republicans were, and the "culture of corrouption" Dave told him "It sounds like you are just spouting slogans, what are the Democrats going to do?" Dean seemed at a loss that anyone in the entertainment industry would actually not agree with him immediately.
The funniest part of the interview though, was when Dean was going on about Tom Delay, Scooter Libby, Karl Rove, Frist et.al., and Dave asked him "But there are Democrats who have broken the law too, are you going to go after them?" And there was this long pregnant pause that became very uncomfortable. You could imagine Howard Dean asking himself why he went on that show.

Denny replies!!

After my post about my letter to Denny, I had given up on hearing from him. Which kind of surprised me, that our elected representatives would be dismissive about a constituent's concerns.
Here is Denny's reply:

Thanks so much for communicating to me your thoughts and concerns about
runaway government spending. I have to admit, you're absolutely right
about the need for fiscal sanity, and especially about reasserting
fiscal responsibility as one of the "watchwords for the Republican Party" as
you rightly put it.

While it's easy to lose sight of this important principle, especially
after a pair of expensive natural disasters, I think you'll agree that
we can pay for the huge cost of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita by trimming
our bloated government. As a member of the fiscally-conservative
Republican Study Committee, I'm working with House leadership to help craft a
plan that would offset disaster spending, as well as increase
reductions in mandatory spending from $35 billion to at least $50 billion and
eliminate duplicative, wasteful and unnecessary programs. It's something
Ronald Reagan told us twenty years ago that still rings true today,
when he called for "returning to the people and to state and local
governments responsibilities better handled by them."

While Katrina and Rita have certainly made many sit up and take notice
of runaway government spending, I have been beating the spending
reduction drum since being elected to Congress. I have pressed the House of
Representatives to adopt spending reductions until we get a handle on
our deficit. In your letter you mention "rain forest museums in Iowa" and
"bridges in Alaska" as evidence of the need to develop a set of
spending priorities for our nation. You'll be pleased to know that I not only
agree with your premise, but I've put it into action. I have joined a
group of fiscally conservative colleagues in an effort to persuade House
GOP leadership to agree to a moratorium on all non-defense related
spending "earmarks" for the coming fiscal year in order to give us the
opportunity to get our spending priorities straight. Additionally, as a
co-sponsor of the Family Budget Protection Act, I'm fighting to decrease
the limit on the public debt by $2 trillion. This legislation is
important because it also establishes a reserve fund for emergencies, while at
the same time setting up a commission to eliminate waste, fraud, and
abuse.

However, I can tell you, reducing spending is no easy task as there are
many in Washington who believe we aren't spending enough taxpayer
money. For example, a few of us in the House had to work overtime to defeat
several alternative budget proposals that would have increased spending
in 2006 alone by $78 billion, hiked taxes by almost $70 billion and, on
top of that, would have eliminated over $17 billion in spending
reductions. As you can see, fiscal conservatives not only have to push
initiatives to reduce deficits but we also have to ward off dramatic increases
in spending and taxes.

These, then, are a few of my thoughts about bringing fiscal sanity back
to the federal spending process. Thanks again for contacting me. Keep
in touch.

I had previously received a phone call from one of his assistants,and asked him to send Denny's reply in writing so that I could add it to the blog. During the phone call, his rep told me that the problem was that there are too many Democrats and liberal Republicans who were unwilling to constrain spending. That is just so much Bu**. In the House particularly, the majority can exercise its will with less impediment than in the Senate. Plus, I am tired of hearing excuses. When I was in the Army, the phrase was "When in charge, take charge." The Republicans are in charge, and they need to do something about out of control federal spending. If I wanted to have someone buy my vote, I would just vote Democratic. But because I see an obligation to my children, and protecting my country, I am not going to go with strict self interest.
I pointed out to the caller that Denny had to be moving up the ranks in seniority, and thus, should be able to influence the leadership more. He told me that Denny has only been in office for 6 years. True, with the incumbent protection act, otherwise known as campaign reform, he is not the most senior. However, One man with courage makes a majority. I am looking for the courageous majority to be elected.

This is scary!

What can you say, when your professional capabilities are not in question, but your commitment to "social diversity" and "tolerance" will prevent you from getting an education or necessary certification?
It is always interesting when one group decides to apply the reprehensible tactics of their opponents and justify their use, "because we are good, but they are bad." McCarthy and facisim are bad, but the use of PDEs are good.
I guess that I would be considered intolerant of Nazis, racists and murdering thugs. But because I indiscriminatly lump all people who are racists and murdering thugs together, instead of just the politically correct ones, I am intolerant according to this view.
I can live with that. The question is, can they live with their conscience?

On turning 50

I have been lax in posting, because of the demands of my real life. My profession seems to be of the sort that has peaks and valleys of work. When I am busy, I am really busy, and my clients deserve all of my attention. When I am slow, I get a chance to think, which is something that is really important. I cannot imagine what life would be like if every day I showed up to hang the same left hand door on the same car in the same way every damned day. Talk about stultifying.
Today, I am 50. I have lived nearly 0.25% of all the time since the birth of Christ. I have been to several county fairs, a fair share of rodeos, 27 countries and one war. I have raised three wonderful children, and buried one wife, divorced another and am married to a woman who has that primary quality that I seek: she puts up with me.
As a former soldier, my needs are simple. So long as I am warm, dry, well fed and not being shot at, my life is really good, and everything else is gravy. I sometimes wonder about those people who are constantly unhappy. What is the purpose of life, if everything sucks?
Being half a century kind of focuses the mind on your own mortality. When you are young, you are invincible. You are wrong of course, and it is only the experience of attending funerals which begins to make you aware that you are mortal.
Another aspect of being older, is that you appreciate being alone, well at least I do. As a criminal defense attorney, I operate alone. Just me and the client against the awesome power of the State, as represented by the guy with the gun and the badge, and the morally perfect prosecutor. I enjoy the battle, because when I win, the victory is mine alone. But when I lose, the failure is also mine alone. I like to ride motorcycles for the same reason. I am alone, all of the choices are mine, and the results are mine, even if they involve a head on with a logging truck.
I guess that what I am getting to is that question: Am I a member of the body politic, or am I an individual who has an interest in politics? Are we as individuals part of a greater whole, or stand alone entities that come together when we choose for our benefit?
I am now officially old, and the truth is, that I don't know the answers anymore. Hell, I am not even sure that I know any of the questions anymore.

She still doesn't get it.

Mary Mapes, the producer for the Bush National Guard "Fake but Accurate" story is coming out with a book that blames conservative bloggers. She claims that within minutes of the story airing, that the bloggers were on the attack. For such a smart person, how can she be so dumb? The story was hyped for weeks before it was aired. Then too, there is a difference in time zones as to when the show was aired. Her "minutes after" was actually two hours after it was shown on the East coast.
Not once does she address the fundamental problems with the story, the formatting, typeset, source or anything else.
It is wierd to watch people wallow in self pity on a national stage.

Why we need new candidates for public office.

As noted below, I am attempting to recruit Dave Budge to run against Denny Rehberg in the primary this year. No, this is not just because Denny has refused to answer my plea to him to rein in spending. Rather, it is because the politicians at the national level, but especially the Republican leadership in the Congress have disowned the most basic tenets of limited government and fiscal restraint.
I suppose that he could be run on a Libertarian ticket, but let's face it, most Libertarians are not going to support a failed cause. No, the trick here is to return the Republican party to its true roots.
I know Tracy Velazquez who is running on the Democratic ticket to unseat Burns has promoted the same concepts. I would support her, but I am afraid that the pressures of the Democratic party leadership would compel her to go along. Think Marjorie M. Margolis, what you don't remember her? She was the freshman congresswoman who voted in favor of the tax increase of 1993, and lost her seat immediately thereafter. A lesson that career politicians never fail to note.
The other problem that I have is with the Democratic party's idea that wealth equaliztion is such an important issue. My issue with the wealth inequality is, suppose tomorrow that we could equalize everyone's wealth to the exact same level. Within in a week, someone would have more, and some would have less due to hard work, luck, sloth, whatever. So, a week later what do we do? Do we re-equalize them again? And if we do, do we reward failure or sloth? Wealth redistribution will never work, and that is why I cannot be in support of a Democrat.
No, what we need are candidates who are willing to serve if elected, and happy to go back to their lives if not. We need people willing to set and enforce priorities for spending, and not just try to buy their own reelection. Men and women who recognize that we are in trouble now, and need drastic measures that will create a lot of pain. Unpleasant, yes, but very, very real. While at the same time, it is doable.
We also need to send a message throughout the blogosphere that more such candidates are needed. If enough responsible citizens stand up and reclaim politics for the people and not for the politicans, we may come closer to utopia.
The time is now, the need is here. Dave Budge for Congress.

Update apparently, the Republican party leadership is not so happy with anyone challenging orthodoxy as seen here.

Time to Revive the Revolution

After receiving no word from my Congressional representatives on my urging them to cut out the pork, I am thoroughly disgusted with them all. I know that they are against offering up any projects because they are "necessary." Yeah right, like a parking garage in Bozeman is going to determine the future of Western civilization.
It is time to look for new people who, even if they lose, will force the incumbents to get off being stuck on stupid.
I am looking for a strong fiscal conservative who will run against Denny on the primary ballot. I want someone who will say that we have a responsibility to bring our fiscal house into order, and nice to have projects like bike paths, rain forest museums and bridges to nowhere will have to wait.
I think that I will nominate Dave Budge (Sorry Dave, but it's like not attending the meeting that names someone for a good cause. You have to attend to decline). Dave has the right attitutde about this sort of things, and is thoughtful, intelligent, and adept with dealing with idiots (Larry the Environmental Deranger), so he should do fine in Congress.
Let's all go to Dave's place and tell him he needs to run.

UPDATE Okay, Dave is being reluctant, which is to be expected by anyone who has a real life. But Dammit people, we are taking about civic responsibility here. We have a need for citizen legislators not professional politiicians. I am willing to pledge $500 to his filing fee. Anyone else want to help?? Your future is at stake here.

Why Miers?

I was surprised by the pick of Harriet Miers to take O'Conner's seat, but after watching the reaction from the Left and Right, I have developed a theory.
Suppose Bush wants a quick confirmation, he goes with someone that Harry Ried and others are willing to accept. No fuss, no muss, and his bud who is the White House Counsel gets rewarded for years of diligent service.
Now, suppose that the Democrats decided to object to her. A certain amount is to be expected, because they are playing to their base. But if anything comes up to call the confirmation into question, Bush digs in, ala Bolton, Rogers-Brown and Owen. Then, because of lack of support on the Right, and opposition on the Left, Miers withdraws, and Bush goes with a Luttig.
He can offer that he has made an effort at consensus and was rejected. Therefore, screw you, here comes the hard core.
Okay, maybe too complicated, but that is what I have to do for a living, think about what else it could be.

Plame affair revisited

Excellent analysis of the whole Plame kerfluffle that raises some interesting questions. I am interested in finding out what Fitzgerald is going after, since the commonly held theories don't make any sense.