This ain't Hell, but you can see it from here

Category: Politics

  • Berkeley waves white flag

    Now that the Berkely City Council has witnessed the fruits of their ill-conceived move against the Marine recruiters in their city (Breitbart video of Marines being forcibly detained from reporting to work) they’re having second thoughts according to SFGate;

    Council members Betty Olds and Laurie Capitelli on Monday proposed that Berkeley rescind its letter to the U.S. Marine Corps that stated that the downtown Berkeley recruiting center “is not welcome in our city,” and publicly declare that Berkeley is against the war but supports the troops.

    The City Council will vote on Olds’ and Capitelli’s two proposals at its meeting next Tuesday.

    “I think we shouldn’t be seen across the country as hating the Marines,” said Olds, who voted against last week’s proposals. “If you make a mistake, like we did, you should admit it and correct it and move on.”

    Naw, that was no mistake, you flea-bitten old bag, it was intentional. And anyone who thinks that our letters and emails and phonecalls influenced her change of “heart”, don’t bet on it. Those old hippies love the abuse – they think it makes them unique and American originals. It was Jim DeMint’s prposal to shut down the freeflow of taxpayer cash that did it (SF Chronicle link);

    Sen. Jim De Mint, R-S.C., had a tougher take. “If the city can’t show respect for the Marines that have fought, bled and died for their freedom, Berkeley should not be receiving special taxpayer funded handouts,” De Mint wrote on his blog. De Mint has found some choice earmarks – $975,000 for the Cal Matsui Center for Politics and Public Service, $243,000 for the Chez Panisse Foundation – that, while not city projects, made De Mint’s list.

    Some cling dearly to their so-called convictions;

    Councilwoman Dona Spring said the council should not be cowed by the volume of hate mail and threats.

    “I still oppose the Marines recruiting in Berkeley because it’s one way of protesting this wasteful war,” she said. “Our military policy is a shambles. But we’re not in opposition to the Marines; we oppose the policy that directs the Marines.”

    Michele Malkin responds;

    Riiight. When the mayor and the council are railing that the “Marines are the President’s own gangsters… they are trained killers” and that the Marines are known for “death and destruction…and maiming” and give America “horrible karma,” it’s the “policy” they oppose, you see.

    At Wake Up America, Spree says;

    Make no mistake, they meant to word the resolution the way they did and when city council member, Linda Maio claims that “”I don’t think any of us paid enough attention to it, and people want to rewrite it to more accurately portray our sentiments. We really do have a great deal of concern for the people in our military, and we don’t want to be critical of the sacrifices they are making,” she is full of it!!!!!!

    They knew exactly what they were passing, the resolution, as seen above wasn’t very long and it was VERY clear.

    Well, I’m warning the hippies who run Montgomery County, Maryland (in some quarters known as Berkeley East) – I will personally stand guard at my local recruiting station – Hell, I’ll even use my vacation time to “express myself” if you know what I mean. I’ll exercise my freedom of speech with all the volume and force this old infantry sergeant can muster – I’ve taught hippies to fly with the sound of my voice.

    One thing I won’t tolerate is the misinterpretation of the Constitution that will result the loss of freedom of others.

    Of course, Code Pink, the band of wrinkled political whores who got Berkeley into this mess in the first place are stretching their gums in anticipation;

    “I hope they’re not acting out of intimidation,” said Code Pink spokeswoman Medea Benjamin. “Berkeley is a city of peace, and a recruiting station does not fit Berkeley’s values.”

    You better keep that shit in Berkeley, Media. You bring it to my neighborhood, you’ll in for rude awakening – much like any guy who wakes up beside you.

  • Can’t we all just get along?

    The famous Rodney King hackneyed plea that disingenuously asked the looters, rioters and killers in South Central Los Angeles to stop looting, rioting and killing jumped immediately into my mind this morning as I read dueling Conservatives Rush Limbaugh’s interview in the Washington Post and Bob Dole’s letter to Rush at Fox News this morning over John McCain. But then my mind has been affected by the Obama ad I’ve been victimized by all weekend.

    First Rush;

    “If I believe the country will suffer with either Hillary, Obama or McCain, I would just as soon the Democrats take the hit . . . rather than a Republican causing the debacle,” he said. “And I would prefer not to have conservative Republicans in the Congress paralyzed by having to support, out of party loyalty, a Republican president who is not conservative.”

    Now Bob;

    I worked closely with Senator McCain when he came to the Senate in 1987 until I departed. I cannot recall a single instance when he did not support the Party on critical votes.

    (At my age, I cannot be entirely certain but here are a few key conservative examples:)

    1. Consistent pro-life record

    2. Strong advocate for strict constructionist judges (We were misled on the Souter nomination)

    3. Supported voluntary school prayer

    4. Supported Constitutional Amendment for a Balanced Budget (needed two-thirds and lost by one vote – 66-34)

    5. Strong advocate for reducing spending and opposing pork barrel “ear marks” which has, I might add, angered some of his colleagues

    6. Consistent on defending Second Amendment rights

    7. Opposed “Hillary Care” which would have been devastating

    8. Probably the Senate’s strongest advocate for strong national defense

    9. Of course he has cast many votes since I left. I totally disagreed with the McCain-Feingold legislation. On immigration, Senator McCain was not in the Senate when Congress passed President Reagan’s immigration legislation which passed overwhelmingly. It granted amnesty to 2.7 million illegals. It was not much different than the 2007 McCain, Kennedy, Bush effort.

    I disagree with his votes against the Bush tax cuts but I believe his pledge to make them permanent….

    Well, it has certainly become clear why McCain became the media darling, oh, so many years ago. He’s accomplished what the media has been trying to do since Richard Nixon – fracture the party to the point of crippling us. Is it McCain’s fault? No, not really. He has his stance on issues just like every other Joe in America. The problem is with the electorate.

    I don’t like Spanish President Zapatero very much, but in the famous exchange that resulted in the “Porque no te callas” line, Zapatero defended his predecessor, Aznar, to Chavez’ juvenile name-calling by reminding Chavez that he, Chavez, was not only showing disrespect for Aznar, but also the Spanish people who’d put him in office. After all is said and done, it’s the voters who are responsible for the people they elect. But in the current climate of personality and identity politics, sometimes we forget that.

    I’m no dyed-in-the-wool McCain supporter, but I’m a huge supporter of the American voter. I figured out that voters are largely easy to sucker, but mainly because they want to believe candidates, they want to trust the media. Americans are naive like that, I suppose, but endearing nonetheless.
    I don’t listen to Rush anymore because the requirements of my current employment don’t permit listening to him, but I’m thankful to him for all of those years I did listen to him – he was the one that influenced me to step outside my comfort zone and seek a new life where I’d never lived before. But, it’s my opinion that Rush and the legions of other “conservatives” that are willing to throw the country to the likes of Pelosi, Reid, Clinton and Obama are being irresponsible.

    Suppose Obama or Clinton get their wish and get universal health care…does Limbaugh or anyone else think a Republican who follows them will reverse that? They haven’t gotten rid of that bloated, corrupt and inept Education Department that Jimmy Carter built. They haven’t done away with any of the bloated corrupt and inept programs of the Johnson Administration’s New Deal. We’d be living with that universal health care albatross for the rest of our lives (and deaths).

    Does Rush or any of the others think that Clinton or Obama will accidentally name Conservatives to the Supreme Court? Or that terrorists will magically stop targeting Americans?

    Look, I’m not happy about the potential of a McCain presidency, but I’m not going to threaten to take my ball and go home just because the Republican voters selected the candidate I don’t like. I guess I learned a lesson from 1992 that everyone else has forgotten.

    Fortunately for me, I don’t labor under the misapprehension that my opinion will change anyone’s mind and cause an immediate halt to the intramural mudslinging. But, in good conscience I needed to say it regardless.

  • Attorneys For Terrorists Endorse Obama

    Who would have thought they’d endorse a democrat? More than 80 attorneys for suspected (“Suspected” being a legal nicety much like “alleged”) Terrorists now being held at Guantanamo Bay , Cuba have endorsed good old Barrack (How dare you mention my Middle name is Hussein) Hussein Obama. The Miami Herald has the story. According to the author, writs of habeas corpus are “Traditional”. Gee, when in the history of this nation have constitutional rights been extended to foreign combatants who, under the Rules of Land Warfare are illegal combatants?

  • Berkeley vs. US Marines (Updated)

    (Scroll for updates)

    I was really surprised yesterday when I read that the City of Berkeley actually used the whole weight of their legislative body to hamstring the Marines from effectively recruiting in the city. No, I really was surprised. I had no idea how much of a bunch of idiots occupied that town. Call me naive.

    Of course, Code Pink says it’s a real victory for free speech. I don’t know how they figure that. By harassing people at their jobs, they’ve characteristically ended the freedoms of not only those Marines, but their prospective recruits. I know it’s hard for Code Pink and the Berkelians to believe, but a whole shitload of us weren’t seduced by recruiters to join the military. Some of us felt it was our obligation and duty (of course, I shouldn’t expect any of you to understand those complicated terms, sorry)

    At An Old Broad’s Ramblings, I read that Jim DeMint wants to cut off the US government’s funding for the town. Makes sense to me. If they don’t like government operations in their city, they should not like all of the money the government spends there, too. Well, unless they’re hypocrites, of course.

    Big Dog’s Weblog says we should boycott. Well, I would but I’ve never been to that place and I wouldn’t know how to boycott a city which has as it’s only export idiots and morons, seein’s how I avoid idiots and morons as soon as I identify one. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone from Berkeley, well, except David Horowitz.

    I guess I always took the advice that Baldilocks offers;

    It’s like having crazy family members: you stay away from them unless they’re hurting somebody or somebody is hurting them.

    Michele Malkin reports that one of the councilmembers is having voter’s remorse;

    One Berkeley City Councilwoman now says she’s “ashamed” of her vote. Idiot:

    “I’m ashamed of my vote,” said Councilwoman Betty Olds, who helped approve the parking spot but not the condemnation. “The protesters should have free speech – this is where Free Speech was born, after all – but to tell the Marines they are not welcome is shameful. If I had to do it again, I wouldn’t even go for the parking spot.”

    Yep, the shame will come for them all eventually. I remember the “shame” Vietnam protesters felt when history was written about their escapades, and the grownups got to write the history of the ’60s. How ashamed they are now of their behavior towards the veterans of that war – especially now that the Vietnam veterans have banded against the current crop of US-hating hippies. The chickens came home to roost for the Vietnam veterans, they’ll come for the younger generation, too.

    And Berkeley is already covered in chickenshit.

    Oh, and in a steel cage death match, one squad of Marines could take on the whole city, in case anyone is wondering.

    Sign the petition at Move America Forward and if you missed the whole thing, get a recap at Yankee Mom.

    Updates

    Pam Meister at Blogmeister USA republishes an email from Move America Forward that announces their plans to counterprotest the protesters at the Berkeley recruiting station.

    And Zombietime (hat tip to Little Green Footballs) has photos of the protest. It’s pretty well gotten out of hand, as things usually do in Berkeley;

    Recruiting station, Berkeley

    Marooned in Marin reports that Barbara Boxer’s office has condemned Jim DeMint for suggesting that Berkeley should be hung out to to dry by the Federal government.

    Michele Malkin reports that the SFGate says we bloggers are unhinged. Have the SFGate folks taken a look at the lunatics that are protesting? Neptunus Lex says we should ignore tham. Yankee Mom has all of the relevant phone numbers and email addresses.
    Skye and the West Chester County folks are still holding the protesters near Philly back.

  • Surprise! Ann Coulter says something controversial

    Yes, I know, Ann Coulter for the first in her life said something that sent the Right spinning into hyperspace. Apparently on Hannity and Colmes last night she said that she’d support Hillary if McCain became the Republican nominees. Alan Colmes replied “Well, my work is done”. She goes into more depth on her website.
    The reaction on the Right side of the blogosphere has run the gamut. (Videos of the clip are at all of the links below).

    My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy’s Beth thinks conservatism is dead because of the anti-McCain strikes from Hannity, Rush, Michele Malkin, et al. Jeff Emanuel at Redstate thinks it greatly hinders the Republicans if McCain truly becomes the candidate for November. Wild Thing at PC Free Zone just thinks Ann was funny.

    Me? I’m with Wild Thing, sorta. I’ve always loved Ann Coulter’s writing – I have all of her books. I’ve avoided her appearances either public or on television, because she makes it a point to piss off everyone in the room at some point. That’s her schtick – that’s why she has so many fans. On paper, in books, she’s a meticulous, exhaustive researcher. In public she’s an entertainer – just like Rush, just like Hannity.
    Ann Coulter would no more campaign for Hillary Clinton than George W. Bush would campaign for her.

    But take into account that’s the kind of reaction the media hopes will sink McCain in November. The media only supports McCain until he’s the Republican nominee because he’s vulnerable on so many issues that they think can separate him from Conservatives. That’s not me talking – that’s just the facts.

    Actually, I have an autographed, inscribed first edition copy of “Faith of My Fathers” on my bookshelf that gets a whole lot more valuable if McCain gets to be President. I’m just sayin’….

  • Benedict Arnold was a War Hero, Too…

    Thomas Sowell has an outstanding article about Senator McCain’s duplicity on TownHall.com
    Among the facts MR. Sowell points out:McCain was, not only a member of the “Gang of 14”, not only a betrayer of the First Amendment with McCain/Feingold, but, also a supporter of corrupt Savings and Loan shysters as a member of “The Keating Five.” MR. Sowell also points out that McCain’s bus would be better known as “The Sell Out Express.”

  • The Hill: Mc Cain Nearly Pulled a Jeffords

    This from The Hill.com:Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) was close to leaving the Republican Party in 2001, weeks before then-Sen. Jim Jeffords (Vt.) famously announced his decision to become an Independent, according to former Democratic lawmakers who say they were involved in the discussions.
    If this surprises any of you, well, than you are idiots. John McCain may be many things, but a conservative, he is not, and has never been. According to the article, democrats contacted Jeffords and Lincoln Chafee, but, and here’s a nice one, McCain came to them.

  • On that IVAW firebombed bus….

    Some of you may remember how the Iraq Veterans Against the War had a bus that burned and the whackosphere, naturally figured that it was some vast cabal of terrorist rightwingers who targeted their broken-down piece of shit bus for a firebombing.

    From OpEdNews.com;

    Jim saw, in retrospect, some suspicious activity outside the bus, and about 20 minutes later, the entire engine compartment, and back of the bus was engulfed in flames. Mr Goodnow speculates that the cause could have been anything from ARSON, to ATTEMPTED MURDER. He plans to notify the ATF Arson Squad on Saturday morning.

    See, I doubted this from the start because of the “Jim saw, in retrospect…” comment. How can a person see in retrospect? You either see or or you don’t see. And the “arson and attempted murder” seemed too good for the mainstream press to just ignore – if it were true.

    But the story of good ole Jim, the hippie-turned-bus-driver-turned-CSI-investigator struck a melodic note with the Leftosphere;

    I have no trouble believing that someone gave Jim’s bus trouble precisely because of what it was. Do I think it was part of a planned, organized, effort? I don’t know, and to be honest, I doubt it. I rather suspect this took place as a result of a couple people of violent political persuasions, who happened to see the target, said “That Ain’t Right” and decided to do something about it. Spontaneity explains why the fire was able to be put out, and why Jim was able to escape. I don’t think there was a deliberate attempt to murder Jim, but I suspect that the culprits, if in fact my theory is correct, likely didn’t give a thought to his presence either way.

    Well, Denis Keohane (who, himself, catalogs quite nicely some of the whackier mind-droppings from the Left) at Obiter Dictum (h/t to Robin at Chickenhawk Express) got tired of waiting for someone to tell him what happened and made a few calls;

    Photos of the bus being towed showed that the tow truck belonged to Riehl’s Towing & Maintenance, which I found out was in Clarksboro, NJ. Riehl’s told me that the responders were members of the Carney’s Point Fire Department. When I contacted them, the Deputy Chief told me that there was no arson investigation and would not be. The fire began in the closed engine department and burned outward, and was believed to have been caused by an equipment malfunction or failure. There was no indication of, much less evidence of arson.

    They knew that weeks ago. The day after the fire Riehl’s towed the truck to a salvage yard, not a facility where criminal evidence would be kept.

    So why has IVAW and others let the story and assumption of an intentional crime linger, when they could have cleared it up?

    Well, Denis, that’s because the truth is apparently too boring. It’s much more exciting when the insolent little children of IVAW pretend to be “raging against the machine” – but that machine turns out to be an ill-maintained bus.

    I suspect it’s the same kind of disingenuous crap that’ll come out of the Winter Soldier II “hearings”. Stuff that doesn’t fit the message won’t make it into the testimony. The Scott Thomas Beauchamp/New Republic template.

    Good detective work, Denis.