Obama's NAFTA doublespeak confirmed

Looks like doublespeak really isn't hyperbole when it comes to Barack Obama's obsequious promises to unions that he would "fix" NAFTA.

Captain Ed has details on Canadian Television's bombshell story about the double-dealing of Obama's campaign.

New extended Iron Man trailer

This is the extended (and HD) version of the new Iron Man trailer that ran on Lost last night. And when I say "extended," I don't mean Iron Man is extended, of course. I mean your pants will be.

Inspired casting of Robert Downey Jr. + sardonic humor + kickass AC/DC, Audioslave, and Black Sabbath songs + repulsor rays + killer new self-assembling armor = schwing!

Religion of Peace update: ONLY 91 million radical Islamists

Abe Greenwald puts a positive spin on the percentages of Muslim terrorists and those who agree with them. (h/t: Hot Air)

A new Gallup poll is being touted as a “challenge” to western misperceptions of Islam. The survey was done on three continents and took six years to complete, and as the French news agency AFP reports, we’ve all been a little alarmist over here: “About 93 percent of the world’s 1.3 billion Muslims are moderates and only seven percent are politically radical, according to the poll, based on more than 50,000 interviews.”

Seven percent of 1.3 billion leaves us with . . . 91 million radical Islamists. And to think we were concerned! That piddling handful is nothing that can’t be taken care of with a little dialogue, a few billion in American aid, and some proper education. I’m feeling audaciously hopeful.

Rick Astley would never:

Seen in the men's room. This is what I get for working with computer geeks all day.

Obama on nuclear disarmament

Obama's foreign policy naivete in his own words. (h/t: Mean 'ol Meany)

• ...I will cut investments in unproven missile defense systems...
• ...I will not weaponize space...
• ...I will slow development of future combat systems...
• ...and I will institute a "Defense Priorities Board" to ensure the quadrennial defense review is not used to justify unnecessary spending...
• ...I will set a goal of a world without nuclear weapons...
• ...and to seek that goal, I will not develop nuclear weapons...
• ...I will seek a global ban on the development of fissile material...
• ...and I will negotiate with Russia to take our ICBMs off hair-trigger alert...
• ...and to achieve deep cuts in our nuclear arsenals...

Wow, that's quite a list.

It would appear that an Obama administration really would take a Ministry of Truth approach, albeit with a few small changes:

1. War Cowardice is Peace
2. Freedom is Slavery Slavery is Freedom
3. Ignorance Weakness is Strength

On second thought, scratch that last change. Ignorance pretty well sums it up.
---
UPDATE: Milblogs BlackFive and Castle Argghhh! take Barack's pipe dream to task, point by point.
---
UPDATE: This brings to mind a couple good quotes that apply to national security, disarmament, and our war against radical Islam:

"The quickest way of ending a war is to lose it."
- George Orwell

"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
- John Stuart Mills

Kampf We Can Believe In

Ok, I know this is in complete violation of Godwin's Law, but I just can't help myself! I saw some things today that were too good to pass up. So indulge my hyperbole and take it with a moderate size grain of salt. :)

The Democrats' constant drumbeat of "change" – while irritating – is really nothing new. Just look back a few years. Tundra Politics noticed a similarity in their propensity for slogans:

"The receptivity of the great masses is very limited, their intelligence is small, but their power of forgetting is enormous. In consequence of these facts, all effective propaganda must be limited to a very few points and must harp on these in sloans until the last member of the public understands what you want him to understand by your slogan. As soon as you sacrifice this slogan and try to be many-sided, the effect will piddle away, for the crowd can neither digest nor retain the material offered. In this way the result is weakened and in the end entirely cancelled out."

Yep, that was "der Führer" from his loony manifesto, Mein Kampf. As was this little gem from Stop The ACLU:

"Alles muss anders sein" (Everything must be different)

Just to be crystal clear, I'm not saying Obama is Hitler. He seems like a nice enough guy. I just disagree strongly with his collectivist plans to alter America and have noticed a similarity in his populist campaign style.

It seems there really is nothing new under the sun.

Change, eh? Well, there's another good historical quote on the subject:

“If a million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing” - Anatole France

I'm a liberal?

Yes, you read that right. According to this passage on liberalism from Wikipedia, I'm a liberal. Whodathunkit? (h/t: Say Anything)

* Political liberalism is the belief that individuals are the basis of law and society, and that society and its institutions exist to further the ends of individuals, without showing favor to those of higher social rank. Magna Carta is an example of a political document that asserted the rights of individuals even above the prerogatives of monarchs. Political liberalism stresses the social contract, under which citizens make the laws and agree to abide by those laws. It is based on the belief that individuals know best what is best for them. Political liberalism enfranchises all adult citizens regardless of sex, race, or economic status. Political liberalism emphasizes the rule of law and supports liberal democracy.

* Cultural liberalism focuses on the rights of individuals pertaining to conscience and lifestyle, including such issues as sexual freedom, religious freedom, cognitive freedom, and protection from government intrusion into private life. John Stuart Mill aptly expressed cultural liberalism in his essay "On Liberty," when he wrote,

“The sole end for which mankind are warranted, individually or collectively, in interfering with the liberty of action of any of their number, is self-protection. That the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not a sufficient warrant.”

Cultural liberalism generally opposes government regulation of literature, art, academics, gambling, sex, prostitution, abortion, birth control, terminal illness, alcohol, and cannabis and other controlled substances. Most liberals oppose some or all government intervention in these areas. The Netherlands, in this respect, may be the most liberal country in the world today.

If I'm a liberal, then what do we call those who want the government to seize control of the healthcare industry in order to "provide" healthcare for all? And those who want the government to raid profits from companies on behalf of "the common good?" Maybe we oughta look at the entries for socialism;

...a broad array of ideologies and political movements with the goal of a socio-economic system in which property and the distribution of wealth are subject to control by the community. This control may be either direct—exercised through popular collectives such as workers' councils—or indirect—exercised on behalf of the people by the state.

or collectivism;

...any moral, political, or social outlook, that stresses human interdependence and the importance of a collective, rather than the importance of separate individuals. Collectivists focus on community and society, and seek to give priority to group goals over individual goals.

and fascism;

...an authoritarian political ideology (generally tied to a mass movement) that considers the individual subordinate to the interests of the state, party or society as a whole.

Just something to think about before voting for Hillary or Obama. Perhaps the Democrat(ic) party needs to redefine themselves based on a more truthful description of their goals.

Midweek Peek 02.27.08

Last week I posted Lena Headey, this week I'm posting the enigmatic Summer Glau, both from "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" (one of the best new shows on TV this season).

Pick Your Pain '08

It occurred to me today, this upcoming election will be not unlike a choice between a punch in the nose, a punch in the stomach, or a kick in the groin.

(I'll leave it to you to decide to which candidate is which)

Nyuk nyuk nyuk!

Barack Obama: The Left's Reagan or Big Brother?

The Wall Street Journal has an interesting article today which illustrates Barack Obama's Reagan-esque use of hope as well as his mastery of doublespeak in his so-far-successful attempt to be all things to all people.

More important for the race ahead, Mr. Obama has the unique ability to offer doctrinaire liberal positions in a way that avoids the stridency of many recent Democratic candidates. That he managed to do this in the days before the Iowa caucuses—at a time when he might have been expected to be at his most liberal—was quite striking.

His rhetorical gimmick is simple. When he addresses a contentious issue, Mr. Obama almost always begins his answer with a respectful nod in the direction of the view he is rejecting—a line or two that suggests he understands or perhaps even sympathizes with the concerns of a conservative.

At Cornell College on Dec. 5, for example, a student asked Mr. Obama how his administration would view the Second Amendment. He replied: “There’s a Supreme Court case that’s going to be decided fairly soon about what the Second Amendment means. I taught Constitutional Law for 10 years, so I’ve got my opinion. And my opinion is that the Second Amendment is probably—it is an individual right and not just a right of the militia. That’s what I expect the Supreme Court to rule. I think that’s a fair reading of the text of the Constitution. And so I respect the right of lawful gun owners to hunt, fish, protect their families.”

Then came the pivot:

“Like all rights, though, they are constrained and bound by the needs of the community . . . So when I look at Chicago and 34 Chicago public school students gunned down in a single school year, then I don’t think the Second Amendment prohibits us from taking action and making sure that, for example, ATF can share tracing information about illegal handguns that are used on the streets and track them to the gun dealers to find out—what are you doing?”

In conclusion:

“There is a tradition of gun ownership in this country that can be respected that is not mutually exclusive with making sure that we are shutting down gun traffic that is killing kids on our streets. The argument I have with the NRA is not whether people have the right to bear arms. The problem is they believe any constraint or regulation whatsoever is something that they have to beat back. And I don’t think that’s how most lawful firearms owners think.”

With all his charisma, what I'm not yet certain about Obama is whether he engages in doublespeak or actual doublethink.

Way to work that INGSOC, baby!

Top 9 Little Known Facts About Barack Hussein Obama

No wonder people faint when Obama enters the room:

9. He defecates hope, urinates dreams, perspires justice, expectorates butterfly kisses, and cries tears of racial equality.
[...]
5. After doctors removed kidney stones from the senator in 2006, they accidentally dropped them on the operating room floor. Within minutes, fifty money trees sprang up, neatly framing the entrance to the newly formed gum-drop swamp and hot fudge waterfall.

(The other seven can be seen at The Nose On Your Face.)
---
UPDATE: Louis Farrakhan is praising Obama as the "hope of the entire world."
---
UPDATE: On a more serious note, Captain Ed opines on the recent Obamamania:

"That's not a political campaign; it's a secular revival. Regardless of how one feels about Obama – and I think he's a good man with a very thin resume – the kind of rhetoric surrounding his run feels dangerous. Voters have been asked to take a lot almost literally on faith, and the hyperbole has continued to increase as he sweeps to victory in state after state. It has gotten less rational, not more, in that period.

What happens when this bubble bursts?"

Obama's not quite JFK 2.0

(h/t: Red Planet Cartoons)

Kiyohime illustration

Last night, I finally finished a drawing I started last month. It's my interpretation of the Japanese ghost Kiyohime – a character featured in Tsukioka Yoshitoshi's “One Hundred Ghost Stories”.

Kiyohime was the daughter of an innkeeper. On his annual pilgrimage to the Kumano Shrine, the young monk, Anchin, stayed at the inn, and brought Kiyohime a present. As she grew up, Kiyohime developed a passionate love for Anchin, which she finally declared. Horrified, he fled to his monastery, Kiyohime in pursuit. The Hidaka River was too flooded to cross, so she changed to a serpent to swim over. Seeing her coming, Anchin hid under the temple bell. The serpent coiled around the bell, and the heat of her lust melted the bell, killing both.

Gun porn: Springfield XD .45acp review

Drool-worthy torture testing and review. Makes me wanna trade in my Glock 19! (h/t: Ragnar)

Obama's history of meeting with terrorists

In last night's debate with Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama reiterated his philosophy on establishing relationships with (read: coddling) terrorists and America's enemies. It would appear he's got a history of doing just that. (h/t: Ace)

In 1995, State Senator Alice Palmer introduced her chosen successor, Barack Obama, to a few of the district’s influential liberals at the home of two well known figures on the local left: William Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn.

While Ayers and Dohrn may be thought of in Hyde Park as local activists, they’re better known nationally as two of the most notorious – and unrepentant — figures from the violent fringe of the 1960s anti-war movement.

Now, as Obama runs for president, what two guests recall as an unremarkable gathering on the road to a minor elected office stands as a symbol of how swiftly he has risen from the Hyde Park left to a man closing in fast on the Democratic nomination for president.
[...]
Obama’s connections to Ayers and Dorhn have been noted in some fleeting news coverage in the past. But the visit by Obama to their home—part of a campaign courtship—reflects more extensive interaction than has previously reported.
[...]
They disappeared in 1970, after a bomb – designed to kill army officers in New Jersey — accidentally destroyed a Greenwich Village townhouse, and turned themselves into authorities in 1980. They were never prosecuted for their involvement with the 25 bombings the Weather Underground claimed; charges were dropped because of improper FBI surveillance.
[...]
But – unlike some other fringe figures of the era — they’re also flatly unrepentant about the bombings they committed in the name of ending the war, defending them on the grounds that they killed no one, except, accidentally, their own members.

“I don't regret setting bombs; I feel we didn't do enough,” Ayers told the New York Times in 2001.

Captain Ed makes a salient point regarding Obama's willingness to rub shoulders with violent radicals:

This doesn't mean that Obama professes the same support for political violence as the Weather couple, but it does show a lack of backbone in rejecting those that do. If Obama can't stand up to two discredited American terrorists in Chicago ... well, you get the drift. What does it say about Obama's politics that Ayers and Dohrn approved of him, and what does it say about Obama that he felt he needed their blessing?

Chicken Little debunked... again

Poor Al Gore, wrong again. How inconvenient.

NEW evidence has cast doubt on claims that the world’s ice-caps are melting, it emerged last night.

Satellite data shows that concerns over the levels of sea ice may have been premature.

It was feared that the polar caps were vanishing because of the effects of global warming.

But figures from the respected US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show that almost all the “lost” ice has come back.

Ice levels which had shrunk from 13million sq km in January 2007 to just four million in October, are almost back to their original levels.

Figures show that there is nearly a third more ice in Antarctica than is usual for the time of year.

The data flies in the face of many current thinkers and will be seized on by climate change skeptics who deny that the world is undergoing global warming.

A photograph of polar bears clinging on to a melting iceberg has become one of the most enduring images in the campaign against climate change.

It was used by former US Vice President Al Gore during his Inconvenient Truth lectures about mankind’s impact on the world. But scientists say the northern hemisphere has endured its coldest winter in decades.

Greenland isn't so green these days, either, despite the Gore-basms to the contrary.

The lynchpin in the anthropogenic global warming theory is the shrinking Arctic ice, but now that some of that ice is actually increasing, scientists claim, without a trace of irony, it is normal for temperatures and ice sheets to fluctuate.

Greenland's Sermitsiak reported, “The ice between Canada and southwestern Greenland has reached its highest level in 15 years.”
[...]
Global warming skeptics wouldn't be so skeptical if these double standards weren't employed to support a popular theory. It's hard to believe in global warming when warm weather and shrinking ice is certain evidence of global warming, but cold weather and ice growth is either dismissed or chalked up to the all-encompassing “climate change.”

Rather than run about in a panic, crying that we're destroying the planet, perhaps it's better to study this phenomenon a bit more.

It's the economy climate change, stupid.

Dhimmi Smurf

I can almost hear it: "La LA luh la la la, la la Allahu Akbar!" (h/t: Weasel Zippers)

The Hague - The Smurka is a Smurf (or Smurfette) with a burka, created by Alwin Huber of Zoetermeer.

Last Friday thousands of plastic Smurf dolls were spread out in the streets of Scheveningen and The Hague in order to celebrate the 50th birthday of the famous comic and cartoon film.

The idea was that children will take the dolls, about 20cm high, and color or dress them. You could then send a photo to happysmurfday.com and compete for a prize.

However, the Smurka was rejected. Hendrik Coysman, of the Belgian company IMPS (which holds the rights to the Smurfs) explains that they did not want pornographic, political or religious situations.

In related news, Sesame Street is reportedly developing an exploding "Blow Me Up Elmo."

Etymology of the word "Democrat"

An interesting tidbit from our founding fathers, courtesy of historian Joseph Ellis. (h/t: Neal Boortz)

"... the term "democrat" originated as an epithet and referred to 'one who panders to the crude and mindless whims of the masses.'"

How amusingly prescient.

NYT hit piece on McCain falls far short of Bubba status

While many of John McCain's policies and liberal aptitudes make him seem more Democrat than Republican, the New York Times seems impatient with his Sith training and have attempted to hasten his journey to the Dark Side with a new innuendo attack.

Seriously though, as eager as the MSM has been to name John McCain as the Republican to beat, I'm a little surprised they'd try to torpedo him already. The front page of today's edition alleges John McCain had an affair with lobbyist Vicki Iseman about eight years ago. The story cites no named sources and gives no details other than supposed reports from anonymous former aides who claim they had to keep her away from McCain in public.

Maybe the NYT is just frustrated that McCain still claims to be Republican and are wanting to anoint him with a Democrat mantle worthy of Bill Clinton:

• Liberal politician, check.
• Volatile temper, check.
• White hair, check.
• Allegations of diddling an office intern, nope. (But a made-up story of a possible affair with a lobbyist is almost as good.)

McCain has gone on the record categorically denying the story ("I did NOT have sexual relations with that woman..." oh wait, I'm getting mixed up). So the Times needs to either produce its sources or retract the story. If these supposed former aides don't want to come forward and identify themselves as well as give specific details, then the Times needs to apologize for this baseless attack.

Now if they could only teach McCain to have that Elvis-style snarl and play the saxophone, they might really be on to something!

What's the Obamamania about?

Barack Obama has a campaign rally today in Dallas. And while on the train on my way to work, I saw a few of his supporters wearing their Obama '08 t-shirts, chatting with each other about the event. Much as I'd like to join the excitement, I just can't.

Last week, I blogged about why I think Obama is dead wrong on the issues. And after taking a good long look at his positions and his campaign for the past few weeks, I'm still at a loss for why so many of my fellow Americans seem to think this guy is a good choice for our Commander-In-Chief.

He makes some damn good speeches (even if he does plagiarize). And after 8 years of President Bush, it'd be nice to have an articulate leader. But I'm not willing to sacrifice substance for style. What really cooks my noodle is how so many people seem oblivious to the kinds of "change" for which they're preparing to vote.

• Do you really feel like you earn too much money and want to give it to the government? Then please, get out your checkbook and pay them more than you owe. But don't ask them increase taxes to take more from me. My tax burden is heavy enough without the change of $287 billion increased annual spending that will occur from an Obama presidency.


• Do you really think it's a bad thing to be defeating al-Qaeda? Because that's what we're doing now. Do you believe retreat, surrender and appeasement are the best ways to handle Islamic terrorism? Because that's the kind of "change" that will result from an Obama presidency.


• Do you think the Second Amendment should be ignored? If you think Bush has trampled on the Constitution, you're really in for a wake-up call. Do you believe private ownership of firearms and self-defense should be outlawed? Because that's the kind of "change" that will be promoted by an Obama presidency.


• Do you believe we don't have nearly enough uneducated and unskilled workers? Because his ideas on granting amnesty to illegal immigrants will perpetuate the financial hemorrhage of our society, continuing the drain on our schools, hospitals, and social services.
  
  That's one area where we do need some change, and an area where Obama will be absolutely worthless.

Contrary to what desperate leftists say, things can get worse. If Americans keep on feeling instead of thinking when it comes to choosing their candidate, we're going to wind up with some pretty dangerous changes, indeed.
---
UPDATE: Just when you though the Obama "cult of personality" couldn't get any more ridiculous...

And about a half-hour into a speech here, the Illinois Democrat announced that he had to take a quick break. "Gotta blow my nose here for a second," Obama said.

Out came a Kleenex (or perhaps it was a hankie), and he wiped his nose.

The near-capacity audience at the Reunion Arena, which his campaign said totaled 17,000, broke out in a slightly awkward applause.

Awesome new US Marine Corps commercial

Suck on it, Berkeley.

Midweek Peek 02.20.08

Whether she's fighting Terminators in the Sarah Connor Chronicles or gutting politically-minded Spartans in 300, Lena Headey is smokin' hot!

Bill Clinton assaults Obama supporter?

"I think he even hit me in the face with his hand,” he said. “He did give me a little pop. It was okay, because I understand his tenacity for his wife.”

des·per·ate [des-per-it, -prit]

–adjective
1. reckless or dangerous because of despair or urgency


2. having an urgent need, desire, etc.


3. leaving little or no hope; very serious or dangerous


4. extremely bad; intolerable or shocking


5. extreme or excessive


6. making a final, ultimate effort; giving all


7. actuated by a feeling of hopelessness


8. having no hope; giving in to despair

-noun

9. Obsolete

Obamessiah?

Apparently, someone's been taking that Obama Christ sculpture just a bit too seriously.

Here's an exerpt from a speech given by Michelle Obama at UCLA earlier this month. Imagine the outrage if this had been uttered by a proponent of the Republicans.

We have lost the understanding that in a democracy, we have a mutual obligation to one another -- that we cannot measure the greatness of our society by the strongest and richest of us, but we have to measure our greatness by the least of these. That we have to compromise and sacrifice for one another in order to get things done. That is why I am here, because Barack Obama is the only person in this who understands that. That before we can work on the problems, we have to fix our souls. Our souls are broken in this nation.

Want a little sugar for that Kool-Aid? How ironic that the Left fears an impending theocracy forced upon them by the Right, yet the Obama campaign wants you to believe he can fix your soul.

Michelle Malkin gets right to the truth:

When Republicans talk about broken souls in the context of civil society, the nutroots start screaming about the obliteration of the church-state line.

When the Obama campaign uses the same rhetoric to get him elected to the White House, everyone swoons.

And Captain Ed gives a germane response to the Obama campaign's altar call:

Government doesn’t exist to save souls; it exists to ensure domestic tranquility and provide for the common defense. If I feel my soul needs saving, the very last place I’d look (in the US) for a savior would be Washington DC or Capitol Hill. I’ll trust God and Jesus Christ with my soul, and I’m not going to mistake Barack Obama for either one.

This, though, is the religion of statism distilled to its essence. Only a government can rescue people from the consequences of their own decisions. Only government programs can provide for your every need, and only government can use your money wisely enough to ensure that your needs get covered. Individuals cannot possibly manage to help their neighbors through their churches or community organizations, let alone encourage people to do for themselves.

And all you need to enter the statist Utopia is to sell your soul. So that it can be fixed.

No, thank you.

Caption this Hillary Clinton cackle photo

Since she's in Texas this week (and the proximity makes my skin crawl), here's a close-up of the megalomaniac. Submit your captions in the comments section.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine unveiled

Today is just on cool overload!

Here's the new image released from the upcoming film, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, due in theaters May 1, 2009. USA Today reports:

The film will trace Wolverine's past as he discovers the world of mutants and, ultimately, the ominous Weapon X program, which turns people into living weapons.

Jackman is tight-lipped on plot details, though he says the film will hardly be a one-mutant story.

Wolverine's nemesis Sabretooth "is going to play a big part in it. And there will be a good bit of cameos" of new and familiar mutants, he says.

Indiana Jones IV trailer!

I've been hearing about it for over a year, but today I got my first glimpse of the new trailer for Indiana Jones the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull! (h/t: Militant Ginger)

Can't wait!

Socialist or fascist health care?

Neal Boortz makes an excellent clarification regarding our country's current debate about whether to allow the government to take over the health care industry:

"By the way ... in the interest of accuracy ... what we're really talking about here is fascist health care, not socialist. Under socialism the health care facilities would be owned by the government and all health care workers would be government employees. Under fascism the facilities remain in private hands and the employees remain in the private sector ... the government just controls their every move."

Indoctrinate U

Here's an interesting clip from the upcoming documentary Indoctrinate U which promises to be a scathing exposé on liberal bias on America’s universities. (h/t: Say Anything)

Sadly, I doubt it'll even make a dent.

Religion of Peace update: Muslims hate Valentine's Day?

Is it any surprise that the religion of perpetual outrage can't tolerate a holiday based on love?

I wonder if it's because these extremists are incapable of any emotion other than hatred, or if they'd just prefer to exchange the freshly-removed hearts of infidels rather than overpriced paper cards?

Michelle Malkin details the shari'a-driven hatefests being reported in Jakarta, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. And Snapped Shot has many more pics showing the Muslim love.

Vice President Rice?

This is about the only way I could get excited about a McCain candidacy: Condoleeza Rice as his running mate.

For a party that up to now has been clueless about how to run against either a woman or a person of color, Condoleezza Rice is pure political gold.

Woe to any Democrat who thinks taking her on in a debate is a sure thing. The woman is tough, fast on her feet and able to give better than she gets. Anyone who has seen her in action testifying in front of a hostile House or Senate committee knows that she will be able to wipe up the floor with a plodding, ordinary pol of a Democratic vice-presidential candidate.

If only she could be persuaded to run. Can you imagine a Rice/Clinton VP debate? Lemme get my popcorn!

Happy Valentine's Day

Pics found at Cute Overload. Everybody say it together, "awwwww!"

Why Barack Obama's "change" is wrong

I recently got an ALL CAPS TIRADE in the comments section from "a HUGE OBAMA fan, a fan of change."

*sigh*

Change. There's that buzzword again. What the hell does it mean? It sounds good, sound like things will improve. But if you look more closely at the issues, what would that change really do to America?

I've gone through several of the Republican candidates (Ron Paul, Mike Huckabee, and John McCain) and outlined where I agree and disagree with them on various issues, but I haven't yet done the same with the Democrats. Mainly because their views are so radically different from mine that I could never bring myself to vote for them. Wanna know why?

Ok, here goes. Obama is the current front runner and the one most likely to get the Democrat nomination, so let's start with him.

• He's wrong on "wiretapping.
  Obama's voting record indicates he's against FISA: real-time surveillance of overseas terrorists. His point of view would take us back to pre-9/11 days when law enforcement's hands were tied, where they were forbidden from communicating with each other. That kind of dangerous compartmentalism – courtesy of President Clinton – contributed to the success of the 9/11 hijackers.


• He's wrong on gun control.
  Obama thinks a ban on semi-automatics (which is a ridiculously open term that includes every gun except revolvers and black powder firearms) would reduce crime. The facts don't bear that out. More firearm ownership actually decreases crime. Furthermore, Obama is also in favor of requiring licenses for firearm ownership. Read that again, the government "granting" a license for a citizen to exercise a Constitutionally-guaranteed right. I can't agree with that at all.


• He's wrong on global warming.
  Not only does he ascribe to Gore's Chicken Little theory, he believes it's ALL due to mankind and believes an additional "carbon tax" on fuel would reduce pollution. Like many Democrats, he never saw a tax he didn't like. Additional taxes on fuel will simply be passed along to consumers. Hello $8/gallon gasoline.


• He's wrong on Iraq.
  Aside from the fact that there were proven connections between Saddam Hussein and al-Qaeda, Hussein's continued disregard for UN sanctions and his systematic gaming of the oil-for-food program underscored his nefarious activities. Combine that with his desperate export of his WMDs to Syria prior to the 2002 invasion, and we had every right to invade and depose the man who was a clear danger to America, the citizens of Iraq, and his neighbors in the Middle East.
  
  Obama is also wrong on his desire to immediately retreat from Iraq. An immediate draw down of troops conveys weakness and undermines all the recent gains for which our soldiers have been fighting and dying. We must honor their sacrifices by allowing them to complete their mission. Declaring defeat in Iraq also rewards the terrorists for their endurance and demonstrates that we lack the resolve to see the situation through. I agree with what Obama said, "“We must exit Iraq, but not in a way that leaves behind a security vacuum filled with terrorism, chaos, ethnic cleansing and genocide that could engulf large swaths of the Middle East and endanger America," however, the resolution to the conflict needs to be directed by military commanders, not by inexperienced politicians seeking to assuage anti-war constituents.


• Speaking of military inexperience, he's wrong on Iran.
  He thinks Iran poses no serious threat to world peace, in direct. He would mollify Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, showing the Arab world that we are spineless. Arabic culture respects strength and despises weakness. Appeasement would not increase America's safety.
  


• He's wrong on abortion.
  He's not only in favor of infanticide, he is in favor of late-term abortions.


• He's wrong on stem cell research.
  Embryonic stem cells aren't necessary for the kind of cures being promised by research. Even President Clinton’s bioethics commission concluded that embryo destruction posed a moral problem and was “justifiable” only if there were no alternatives. There ARE alternatives. UCLA stem cell scientists have reprogrammed human skin cells into cells with the same unlimited properties as embryonic stem cells without using embryos or eggs. It's not necessary to clone or destroy life to find medical breakthroughs; the sham of embryonic research as a justification for abortion is now completely discredited.


• He's wrong on illegal immigration.
  He believes all illegal immigrants without a criminal record should be given the right to stay in the US legally, rewarding their lawlessness and encouraging others to do the same. The cost of this in terms of healthcare and education is staggering enough without the additional impact of failing to enforce our nation's laws in favor of swelling the Democrat voting rolls.
  


• He's wrong on healthcare.
  Someone please show me in the Constitution where the federal government has a responsibility to provide medical care? Health care spending is 4.3 times the amount spent on national defense, and it's unconstitutional to give government control of 20% of our GDP. We don't need government bureaucrats making healthcare decisions. I don't want a DMV or Post Office experience when I need to see a doctor.


• He's wrong on terrorism.
  He's against coercive interrogation measures for terrorists, which means doing nothing more than asking nicely - and that doesn't work. America doesn't allow torture - we don't use drills and blowtorches, knives and baseball bats. Making a terrorist listen to rock music or sit in a cold room isn't torture. Causing a hardened murderer to feel like he's drowning doesn't cause harm, it proves that we're as serious about preserving life as they are to take it. Waterboarding has only been used THREE times, it worked in 35 seconds, and it saved American lives. To me, 35 seconds of water boarding is certainly more "humane" than days/weeks/months of sensory deprivation. The CIA has uncovered and stopped more than a dozen al-Qaeda plots to kill people – including a plot to bomb a tower in Los Angeles – due to the information they got from coerced interrogation. Would it be better to have not interrogated Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and allowed hundreds or thousands to be murdered? Obama's beliefs would have allowed it.

In summary, I think that in spite of his charisma, optimism and his obviously persuasive communication skills, he just doesn't have the experience to lead this country. And some of his opinions are downright incompatible with the Constitution. I do believe him to be an honest guy, in sharp contrast to the Clinton Political Machine™. But I think many of his sincere beliefs are at odds with America.

While I'm proud to see a black man seriously considered for president (Alan Keys never got a fair shake), and I hope his candidacy will bring the black community – more specifically, those who view themselves as perpetual victims to "the man" – closer to realizing the true equality that exists in America, we quite literally can't afford the kind of "change" Obama is advocating. If he could enact all of his campaign proposals, we would be facing over $850 billion in new spending, approximately 10% more than current federal spending. And that's not even counting the additional cost of complying with his new tax and health care laws.

To those Obama supporters looking for his brand of "audacious hope," might I recommend you move to China, Venezuela, or Cuba instead, where many of his ideas are already in practice.

Midweek Peek 02.13.08

Denise Milani

Obama's Marxist supporters

We already know Barack Obama isn't a big fan of the American flag. Which is why this pic is so interesting. His supporters don't mind flying a flag. Just not America's

The pic above is from Barack Obama’s campaign office in Houston, decorated with a flag of communist revolutionary and terrorist Che Guevara.

If America is foolish enough to elect Obama as president, we should keep in mind his radical followers and remember the phrase "you gotta dance with the one who brung ya."
---
UPDATE: Outside The Beltway has a good link roundup on the Che flag kerfuffle.
---
UPDATE: A good assessment of the situation over at NRO.

It's not like we ever thought Obama himself picked out the decor. The point is Obama seemed like a guy who seemed particularly moderate, thoughtful, who repudiated the "I Hate Republicans And Everything They Stand For" Howard Dean approach, and who seemed to be keeping a healthy distance from the no-enemies-to-our-left fringe. Seeing him enthusiastically backed by the hooray-for-Marxist-murderers crowd, well, it makes those of us who kind of liked Obama, policy differences aside, wonder if he's just a standard-issue leftist with nicer, deliberately evasive rhetoric.

What does it say that among these Obama volunteers, none of them thought to say, "hey, fellas, you know, this guy ran show trials and executions... Is this really the image of 'change' we want to project to the electorate?"

Pimping Chelsea

Can you tell it's a slow news week?

My apologies to those of you with weak stomachs who may have thown up in your mouths a little bit at the use of a word with sexual connotation in connection with Chelsea Clinton. But as this one is all over the news right now, I just had to say something.

MSNBC correspondent David Shuster is in deep doo-dah for saying "Doesn't it seem as if Chelsea is sort of being pimped out in some weird sort of way?" Hillary Clinton is now careening over the edge, huffing with faux outrage and acting as though her daughter is off-limits to criticism (although she doesn't mind using her to campaign on her mother's behalf, making phone calls to super delegates and celebrities). I guess I shouldn't be surprised to see a Democrat expecting benefits without responsibility.

Dictionary.com defines the word "pimp" thus:

–noun
1. a person, esp. a man, who solicits customers for a prostitute or a brothel, usually in return for a share of the earnings; pander; procurer.
2. a despicable person.
3. Australia and New Zealand. an informer; stool pigeon.
–verb (used without object)
4. to act as a pimp.
–verb (used with object)
5. to act as a pimp for.
6. to exploit.

So what's all the fuss about? Definiton #1 seems accurate, especially given Bill Clinton's activities in the Oval Office. And seriously, definition #6 is spot-on. If the shoe fits, Senator Clinton, wear it. It goes with your pantsuit. Conversely, if you don't want the media commenting about your blatant exploitation of your own daughter for propaganda, then don't include her in the campaign.

Just another example of double standards for Democrats in the media.

al-Qaeda weakening, Pelosi in denial

It's nice to see continued reports of good news from Iraq. And that explains why we haven't heard much from the Democrats about the war lately. Victory for America is bad for them, politically.

BAGHDAD — A diary and another document seized during U.S. raids show some Al Qaeda in Iraq leaders fear the terror group is crumbling, with many fighters defecting to American-backed neighborhood groups, the U.S. military said Sunday.

The military revealed two documents discovered by American troops in November: a 39-page memo written by a mid- to high-level Al Qaeda official with knowledge of the group’s operations in Iraq’s western Anbar province, and a 16-page diary written by another group leader north of Baghdad.

Click here for the English translation of the diary. (PDF)
Click here for the original version of the diary. (PDF)

In the Anbar document, the author describes an Al Qaeda in crisis, with citizens growing weary of militants’ presence and foreign fighters too eager to participate in suicide missions rather than continuing to fight, said Rear Adm. Gregory Smith, a U.S. military spokesman.

“We lost cities and afterward, villages... We find ourselves in a wasteland desert,” Smith quoted the document as saying.

The memo — believed to have been written in summer 2007 — cites militants’ increasing difficulty in moving around and transporting weapons and suicide belts because of better equipped Iraqi police and more watchful citizens, Smith said.

The surge is working: Al-Qaeda's strength is waning daily, their morale is in the crapper, yet Nancy Pelosi keeps squawking that our efforts in Iraq are "a failure" and that the troop surge has “not produced the desired effect.” Funny, I though the desired effect of the troop surge was to defeat the terrorists, moving Iraq closer to self-sufficiency and freedom, and moving our soldiers closer to being able to come home for good.

Makes one wonder what Pelosi's "desired effect" was. No wonder Congress' approval rating is hitting a new low at 22%.

Religion of Peace update: Mullah accidentally blows himself up

An Islamic holy man accidently kills himself while preparing explosives for an attack? How appropriate for The Religion of Peace pieces! Karma is quite the bitch.

A landmine blew up in the home of a religious cleric in southern Afghanistan, killing the mullah, two of his sons and two other men who had been preparing an attack, police said today.

The cleric’s wife was critically wounded in the blast in their compound in the southern province of Helmand late yesterday, and a daughter was hurt, provincial police chief General Mohammad Hussein Andiwal said.

The bodies of the mullah and his two sons, both under 15 years old, remained at the site of the blast, he said.

Other people in the compound said two other men were killed but their bodies had been removed before police arrived, he said.

The group was likely associated with the Taliban, he said. The extremist militants are particular active in Helmand province, where they are said to be tied up with opium and heroin traffickers.

The McCain quandary

“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it."
- Joseph Goebbels

For months, the media and their Democrat handlers have anointed John McCain as the Republican nominee. They've flooded the echo chamber with the notion that he's "moderate" and "electable." And that he was the only candidate capable of defeating Hillary Clinton.

I'm sorry, but that's complete bovine excrement. There were several candidates who could have easily defeated Clinton and Obama. Thompson could have united the Republican party and plowed the Dems like so much topsoil, but his campaign lethargy was his undoing.

I wish I liked McCain. But I can't say that. I can't even pretend to like the guy. To me, he's like a more-liberal President Bush. And who needs that? Several weeks ago, I looked deeper into McCain's record and his positions on the issues and found very little to like. So much so that I wrote a post citing my reasons for eliminating him from my consideration set.

And now, America is faced with the dilemma of which shit sandwich to bite – Clinton, Obama, or McCain – I'm trying to convince myself that McCain's doesn't have quite as many peanuts.

Sure, McCain served honorably in the military, but his career in the Senate has been detestable. Every time he "reaches across the aisle," conservatism takes a back seat to the liberal agenda. And America takes another step toward Marxism.

The only area where I'm comfortable with McCain is when it comes to combating the threat of Islamic extremism (with the exception of his plan to close Gitmo). And maybe, just maybe, he'd be decent on the appointment of judges to the Supreme Court. However, in the latter capacity, his penchant for cooperation with Democrats gives me cause for doubt. Combined with his ideas on campaign finance regulation, amnesty for illegals, his predilection toward gun control, and his willingness to join the global warming panic, he's just too uncomfortably close to being a Democrat. Which explains why he nearly switched parties back in '01.

Until November, Senator McCain has a lot of convincing the do.

McCain says VP should share his values

Well, this rules out a conservative running mate.

Given the fact that McCain has "no doubt that Senator Clinton would make a good president," perhaps he's angling for a bipartisan shot at the Oval Office. He certainly has more in common with her than any other Republican.

I happen to agree that Hillary Clinton would make a good president... of the (former) Soviet Union.

Romney bows out

Damn.

John McCain effectively sealed the Republican presidential nomination on Thursday as chief rival Mitt Romney suspended his faltering presidential campaign.

“If I fight on in my campaign, all the way to the convention, I would forestall the launch of a national campaign and make it more likely that Senator Clinton or Obama would win. And in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign, be a part of aiding a surrender to terror,” Romney will say at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington.

“This is not an easy decision for me. I hate to lose. My family, my friends and our supporters… many of you right here in this room… have given a great deal to get me where I have a shot at becoming President. If this were only about me, I would go on. But I entered this race because I love America, and because I love America, I feel I must now stand aside, for our party and for our country,” Romney said.

Looks like McCain won't need to pretend to be conservative any more.
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Michelle Malkin is liveblogging Romney's CPAC speech.

"Jena 6" thug faces new assault charge in Texas

Remember back in September of last year when we were treated to
rallies in favor of black racism after the so-called "Jena 6" were arrested for trying to stomp a white student to death?

There was an outcry for them to be acquitted, despite their savage behavior. We were demagogued by Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, who jumped on the occasion to claim victim status for all black Americans (despite the irony of the situation being that a white student was beaten by six black students). And we were lectured by Hillary Clinton, who claimed that this was a "teachable moment for America" and sought to make white America feel accountable for the actions of the six punks in question.

Well, now one of them is in trouble for violence again. Surprise, surprise.

A member of the so-called "Jena Six" bonded out of jail Thursday after being arrested on assault charges in North Texas.

Bryant Purvis, 19, was released from jail in Carrollton early Thursday morning on charges stemming from a fight with a fellow student at Hebron High School.

Purvis’ mother says her son moved to North Texas to try to lead a normal life in the wake of the Jena Six controversy.

A normal life? Sure, if "normal" includes being honored for stomping a white boy.

Purvis had stayed out of the spotlight for most of the year, but did appear on Black Entertainment Television's Hip-Hop Awards. Purvis and fellow defendant Carwin Jones helped present the Video of the Year award during the October awards show.

It's sad to see that a violent hoodlum is treated as a hero in the hip-hop community. This is the kind of thing that perpetuates racial tensions.

Purvis' mother says her son suspected a fellow student of slashing the tires on his Dodge station wagon Tuesday night, and the two got into an altercation Wednesday.
[...]
There’s no indication the incident involving the vehicle is related to last year’s events in Jena.
[...]
In Nov., Purvis plead not guilty to aggravated battery and conspiracy. Another member of the six plead guilty in the case.

Sounds to me like Purvis is the one in need of a "teachable moment."

Mike Huckabee is Perot 3.0

"Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it."
- George Santayana

While Democrat doppleganger John McCain keeps rolling on to victory in the Republican primaries (much to the delight of liberals who know he'll keep on doing their bidding), Mitt Romney - the only true conservative left in the race - continues to be diminished by Mike Huckabee.

I truly wonder what goes on in the minds of those who have been voting for the Huckster. I wrote about what rubs me the wrong way about this faux conservative. Are evangelicals voting for him simply because he used to be a minister? Have they not looked at his record? Huckabee's a tax-and-spend conservative along the lines of President George W. Bush. And he's in favor of amnesty for illegals, just like Bush and McCain. Conservatives repeatedly cite that securing the border ranks among their highest priorities, yet Huckabee and McCain both oppose that. Mitt Romney is the only real conservative left (well, the only real conservative candidate that isn't a lunatic and racist, for you Paulbots out there). He's got a solid business background, which is what our country desperately needs right now. And he's right on a majority of the issues, social and economic. Personally, I don't care what his religion is. I don't care if he prays to the Flying Spaghetti Monster. I think he's the best leader remaining in the race.

If the Huckabee supporters could simply get past their fear/hatred of Mormonism and throw their support behind Romney, he'd have a pretty good chance of beating McCain as well as Hillary/Obama. Keeping Huckabee afloat will have the same effect on the Republican party as Perot's candidacy did in '92 and '96, the only difference is that Huckabee will siphon evangelicals the way Perot drained off the independents.

The result will be the same. Just ask Bill Clinton.

Midweek Peek 02.06.08

Miriam Gonzalez

Super Tuesday: Hillary and McCain?

Aside from the whole crying thing (can you believe she did it again?), Bill Clinton was correct in claiming that Hillary and McCain are "very close."

Blogroll roundup

I already spent too much time today blogging the best and worst of yesterday's Super Bowl commercials. So here are a few goodies from my blogroll. Enjoy.

• Crush Liberalism - Obama is THE most liberal Senator
• Infidels Are Cool - Poll: quarter of Brits think Churchill was a myth
• La Shawn Barber - What Black Men Think
• Texas Rainmaker - Bill Clinton: Recession is a Good Thing
• Zombie has pics of Code Pink's disgraceful protest at the Berkeley Marine recruiting station
• Say Anything - Hillary Lets The Truth Slip On Socialized Medicine
• Mark Steyn - It's a shame one of them has to win
• Little Green Footballs - Hillary Cries Again
• Michelle Malkin - John McCain: La Raza's Voice in Washington
• Stop The ACLU - The New Crime of Thinking

Rating the 2008 Super Bowl Commercials

I work in the advertising business. And I have a love-hate relationship with it. But my disdain for corporate hucksterism goes out the window every year when it's time for "the Big Game." I don't watch pro football and couldn't care less who's playing, but I tune in every year to watch the pinnacle of television advertising - the Super Bowl commericals.

This year's crop was pretty clever, for the most part. But many just didn't elevate their concepts beyond what I'd expect in a regular advertising campaign. Come on, folks, this is the freakin' Super Bowl! It's time to step up! Your client is ponying up the big money, you better come up with a memorable concept that will stack up to iconic spots like the Apple's "1984," Budweiser's frogs and their "whazzup?" guys, and Coca-Cola's "Mean Joe Greene."

A few did. Most didn't. Here's my take on things.

Best

• Coca-Cola - It's Mine: Pardon the pun, but I liked the uplifting nature of this spot. A memorable tussle between giant parade balloons of Family Guy's Stewie and Underdog, with Charlie Brown finally winning in the end. A Coke and a smile, indeed. Home run.
  


• Tide To Go - Talking Stain: What a perfect little way to demonstrate the need for the product. Seamless CG. It remains to be seen if this idea will be big enough to be a campaign, but it's a vast improvement on their other ads.
  


• Pepsi Stuff - Magnetic Attraction: The celebrity is literally sucked through the air, paying off the copy in a memorable way. The more I see Justin Timberlake do comedy, the more I like the guy. And that's saying a lot 'cause I hate his music. But I applaud his willingness to make fun of himself. Plus, the addition of Adam Samburg adds "Dick In A Box" laughs to this one.
  


• Bridgestone - Unexpected Obstacles: Similar kudos to Simmons for allowing himself to be the target of everybody's derision in this clever variation Bridgestone's other "Scream" spot that aired earlier in the game.
  

Worst

• Gatorade - Man's Best Friend: Did the Gatorade brand manager forget the concept of "appetite appeal?" I get the joke, but 30 seconds of a dog lapping up water really didn't make me want to try the product. After all, dogs gladly drink out of the toilet.
• Amp - Jump Start: Absolutely gross. An overweight guy with jumper cables attached to his nipples? Gag.
• Careerbuilder.com - Queen of Hearts: Another gross out, and a bad pun, too. Next!
• Planter's - Perfume: Rubbing cashews on her pulse points makes men fall all over an ugly girl with a unibrow? Sorry, doesn't pass my B.S. test, even for a funny spot.

Clever But Forgettable

• Bud Light - Breathe Fire & Flying: Cute, but not breakthrough ideas.
• Bud Light - Wheel Suck: Made me laugh out loud. But haven't we had enough cavemen lately? Too reminiscent of Geico.
• Budweiser - Clydesdale Team: A nice feel-good, but the use of Rocky music was just a little too expected for me.
• CareerBuilder.com - Firefly: Attention-grabbing and funny, but no reason for me to pick CareerBuilder over any other resume site.
• GoDaddy.com - Exposure: Although I'm all for crass humor, and really enjoyed the edgy nature of their previous boobtacular spoof on Super Bowl "wardrobe malfunctions," this one took beaver jokes just a bit too far. Poor use of a celebrity, too. Anybody could have been in that spot. If you're gonna leverage a name like Danica Patrick, there should be some reason for the connection.

Special mention

• Audi - Truth in Engineering: In addition to being a clever parody on the "horse head in the bed" scene from the Godfather movie, this spot stuck out to me because of just how damn cool the new Audi R8 looks. I'm in lust!
• Geico - Cavemen: A fun poke in the eye at ABC for messing up Geico's concept with their badly-executed TV spinoff.
• Sobe - Thrillicious: I didn't recognize smokin' hot Naomi Campbell, but enjoyed the dancing lizards' play on Michael Jackson's memorable music video. I'm afraid Geico may have the corner on lizards in the public's perception, but this may be a successful opening salvo at reclaiming the spokesreptile for the Sobe brand.
• NFL - We Are Americans: Wonderfully patriotic. We don't see things like this very often. I loved it.
  

Iron Man Super Bowl commerical (in HD)

More to come tomorrow on the best and worst of the Super Bowl commericals. This one for the upcoming Iron Man movie was, without doubt, the coolest.

Religion of Peace update: al-Qaida uses women with Down's Syndrome as suicide bombers

This is about as despicable as it gets.

Two mentally retarded women strapped with remote-control explosives—and possibly used as unwitting suicide bombers—brought carnage Friday to two pet bazaars, killing at 73 people in the deadliest day since Washington flooded the capital with extra troops last spring.

The coordinated blasts—coming 20 minutes apart in different parts of the city—appeared to reinforce U.S. claims al-Qaida in Iraq may be increasingly desperate and running short of able-bodied men willing or available for such missions.

But they also served as a reminder that Iraqi insurgents are constantly shifting their strategies in attempts to unravel recent security gains around the country. Women have been used in ever greater frequency in suicide attacks.

The twin attacks at the pet markets, however, could mark a disturbing use of unknowing agents of death.

Brig. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi, Iraq's chief military spokesman in Baghdad, said the women had Down syndrome and may not have known they were on suicide missions. He said the bombs were detonated by remote control.
[...]
While involving women in such deadly activity violates cultural taboos in Iraq, the U.S. military has warned that al-Qaida is recruiting women and young people as suicide attackers because militants are increasingly desperate to thwart stepped-up security measures.
[...]
Women in Iraq often wear abayas, the black Islamic robe, and avoid thorough searches at checkpoints because men are not allowed to touch them and there are too few female police.

Even the use of the handicapped in suicide bombings is not unprecedented in Iraq. In January 2005, Iraq's interior minister said insurgents used a disabled child in a suicide attack on election day. Police at the scene of the bombing said the child appeared to have Down syndrome.

The way Muslims treat their women is barbaric enough as it is without them victimizing mentally retarded women who probably didn't realize they would be murdered. The cowardice of these jihadi animals knows no limits.