Tag: America

Republican Anti Romneyism is Pathological not Ideological

“Yeah, I understand it. Everyone in the Republican establishment wants Romney and they’d like everyone else to go home,” Gingrich told ABC News’ Jon Karl in an interview Tuesday. “They’d like to have a coronation, but that’s not how this is done.”

There is weird thinking in the USA conservative movement that Governor Mitt Romney is not a true Conservative.  This kind of thinking betrays a pathological bias more than an ideological divide between Governor Mitt Romney and Senator Santorum and Speaker Gingrich.

The best way I can describe it is to make analogy with the Christian Church. Firstly, let me say clearly that this analogy is not anger toward  or indiscreet criticism of the Christian Church.  I love the Christian Church, warts and all.  However, the analogy of Christian and indeed, Jewish and Moslem denominationalism fits the current Republican scene.

Christians, including Mormon Christians, proclaim that Jesus is the Christ.  They adhere to the creedal formulations of the Church and they distinguish themselves from other faith religions.  However, within Christianity, there are various labels for various Christian Churches.  The two big ones are Roman Catholic and Orthodox.  Then there are the many so-called Protestant  groups, like Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, Baptist.

All of these groups aka. “denominations”, profess Jesus as the Christ, that God is Trinity in character, and that a person is granted eternal life through a relationship with God through Christ in faith.  That applies to 100% of the groups mentioned as being Christian.  So what’s the difference?  Why are there denominations?  An adequate answer to both questions would require a treatise.  However, a simplification would be to say that all the denominations are a result of social/economic/political and cultural differences between various people at the time of the inception of each denominational group.   Not much help in understanding the core basis of denominationalism, is it?  That’s because there is no simple answer, denominationalism is a phenomenon.

Today, the battle within the Republican party is between the so-called Conservatives, Moderates and Liberals.  They are all part of the established Republican party which party is the only Republican party there is and the only one entitled to be listed on the ballot in fifty States as Republican!  Like all the groups within Christianity are Christians, so all the groups within the Republican party are Republican.  The names they call themselves, their denominators, are self-imposed qualifiers.  Over time, these qualifiers have become nuanced so that a Conservative in 2012 is not the same as a Conservative of 1912.

It is this writer’s opinion that in other elections the nuances between the groups and even within the groups were allowed to blend.  This blending producted hybrids known as Moderate Liberals and Moderate Conservatives.  The adjective “moderate” allowed Republicans the flexibility to pull the right and the left toward the center of the Republican spectrum.  However, the advent of Talk Show radio has introduced an element of rigidity into the party which denies that such moderation is allowed.  Rather, Talk Show hosts insist upon a definition of Conservative which precludes the hybrid, Moderate-Conservative designator.  And in the present context, Governor Mitt Romney is seen to be a hybrid and not purely Conservative.

From my seat along the sidelines of politics, it seems that Liberals and Moderates are still willing to allow flexible definitions of a person’s political philosophy.  So, they allow that a person can be strictly Conservative in economic politics while being moderately Conservative in social politics and maybe, conservatively liberal regarding international politics.  It is possible, there may be many so-called “pure” Conservatives who also will allow flexibility regarding Governor Romney because they feel that he has the best chance of winning against President Obama.  Sadly, it is becoming evident that Talk Show hosts like Sean Hannity, Mark Levin and Rush Limbaugh, (to name the best, biggest and most influential) are fundamentally opposed to any graduated designator.

In the title to this article I use the concept that this refusal to allow moderation of so-called “pure” Conservatism is pathological rather than ideological.  I believe that an ideological difference can become nuanced when influenced by reasoned conversation.  However, both Santorum and Gingrich and their promoters say that they are essentially anti Romney.  Since they denominate themselves as the true Conservative in distinction to Romney’s Moderate Conservatism, then, I believe, their opposition to him is unreasoned, ingrained, emotional and I suggest, pathological.

No Obama Outrage over Islamic Stonings

http://news.yahoo.com/iraq-militia-stone-youths-death-emo-style-171115804.html  Granted at the outset that this story deals with the sovereign state of Iraq. Also granted that essentially these murders are none of our business.  Lastly, granted that the President of the USA cannot comment upon everything that happens in our world.  Yet this story is very shocking because it comes out of Iraq. It is remembered that we lost the lives of several thousand of the best of USA youth in order to secure the freedom of this Moslem Nation.  It is also remembered that ten thousand of USA youth were maimed in the war to “free” the Iraqi people.  Therefore, to read that this type if Islamo/nazi radicalism is once again prominent in Iraq is disheartening.

Taking all of the above items into consideration, this writer is disappointed that the President of the USA displays a very pro Islamic orientation.  He apologizes for an accidental burning of a mere book, namely the Quran. Hey, it is not our problem that Moslems cannot cope with the burning of their scripture.  I am a Christian and my church discards dozens of holy Scriptures yearly.  The printed books are worn, or weathered, or yellowed or their covers are destroyed.  As a Christian, our holy Bible is a book.  It is the content and the message of the content that is holy and not the pages on which the words are printed.  And while I can accept the President’s statement that he apologized in order to save lives, nonetheless, I do not hear him protesting the incident here described nor do I hear him decrying the continued genocidal bombing by Moslems of Christian churches in Nigeria.

Why is this important?  This writer believes that the job of the President of the USA is to uphold the Constitution, to defend the nation against its enemies, foreign and domestic and to extend the interests of the nation worldwide.  However, President Obama seems more intent on apologizing for the nation, and taking a defensive position concerning the international interests of USA.

Is USA Becoming Like Israel?

http://news.yahoo.com/israel-kills-more-gaza-gunmen-rockets-fired-israel-103107234.html

I will try to write more about this, but for now, read the article and ask the questions:

Is Israel’s blowing up the car of anti Israel militants, the same as our using drones against identified terrorists?

If the new rules of war allow such behavior, then what about armed conflict between nations?  There are rules, you know!

If Newark was a nation inside of NJ how could it function?

If the nation of Newark blasted rockets over its border and killed people in Paterson, what would be an appropriate response?

What are we supposed to do concerning the lingering idea of pre emptive aggression?  Pre emptive aggression is now called, as it was by Hitler and Stalin, pre emptive defense.   It is the primitive notion that might makes right.  Therefore, if I think you are going to hurt me and I know that you have a gun, then I am justified to go to your house and burn it down in order to prevent you from hurting me.

Governor Christie Survives Navy SEAL Attack

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/governor-chris-christie-idiot-student-damn-man-m-221915452.html

Governor Christie was attacked yesterday during a question and answer period at Rutgers University.  The attacker was a former US Navy “SEAL”.

Firstly, we note that Governor Christie is the elected Representative of the citizens of New Jersey.  Secondly, we note that he is at a public forum in order to appear in person to those citizens.  Thirdly, we note that governor Christie was ambushed by the Rutgers student.  The student did not have a gun but he did have a weapon, his mouth.  He did not have an intention to physically harm the governor, but he did have the intention to inflict harm upon the Governor.  His intention was to cause a shouting match in a public place between himself and the Governor of New Jersey.  His attempt to ambush Governor Christie was successful, although the Governor  survived.

Several items stand out.  The person shouting at the forum was a former US Navy SEAL.  Well, this writer served in the US Army for thirty years and I can state without any doubt that US Navy SEALS are trained to say yes SIR and no SIR or (Mad’m) as the case may be.  Not to amend all statements in such fashion is punishable as disrespect to an officer of the Navy.  So, we know straight away, that the student is acting intentionally and not from emotions, (he’s a SEAL!) and not from ignorance.  Sad that a former US Navy SEAL should think so little of the Navy that he would cause it to be embarrassed by his public conduct.

Next, we note that the person shouting over the Governor of NJ is a person who is probably on monetary support from the US Federal government through the Montgomery GI Bill, the Reserve Assistance Educational Program, (REAP) or the Post 9/11 education bill.  He is attending a NJ State sponsored school, so he is already getting lower tuition and fees because taxes levied on NJ property owners are used to subsidize students like him.  And if there are any other scholarship monies for the former US Navy SEAL then he is getting everything for free.  It is obvious from Governor Christie’s response that the Governor was exasperated with the student and was reminding him, politely, like a  good father to an unruly child, of the aforementioned facts.

Lastly, we note that the student is identified as a Democrat and active in Democrat political activities on campus.  This last factor plays well into my suspicion that this entire episode was a pre meditated political attack using ambush as the method.  Let me be quick to add that I realize that this analogy can be carried too far.  And this writer realizes that heckling is a recognized, although unworthy, political tool, (yes, I know that the Democrats also get this treatment.)  Governor Christie recognized the situation, addressed the immediate threat to his presentation, while expressing frustration concerning the non civil nature of the interchange.   A frustration which President Obama has repeatedly lamented from the stage, after which lamentation, he launches into withering political name calling, and accusations against the Congress blaming them for all the ills that plague the Nation.

One last point here.  It is coincidental that this student ambushes a Republican Governor.  We have witnessed similar ambushes by college student activists against both Democrats and Republicans.  So, the question begs to be asked about student political activism on USA campuses.

This writer applauds Governor Christie and for those who think that the statement, “..look I’m the Governor…” is petty or betrays hubris or its reverse, well, it doesn’t.  How can I say that? Simple, you say it does and I say it does not.

Obama goes Backwards

http://news.yahoo.com/obama-america-coming-back-012139891.html

The sad part of this article is President Obama himself.  He had the chance for greatness when he became President. Instead he did not trust the American people. He apologized for us before the international community which effectively renounced our efforts in WWI and WW II and under the Marshall Plan, and during the Cold War and even during Kennedy’s confrontation with the Soviet Union in Cuba.

Almost at the same time, he instigated the so-called “Arab Spring” by his inaugural speeches in North Africa and his support of CIA supported insurgencies in the countries of our ally Egypt and in Libya, a country to which we had made expansive national promises; which promises Obama quickly and brutally denied. The result was the disgraceful NATO invasion and decimation of the sovereign State of Libya under a bogus “protect the civilians” United Nations resolution 1973.  A nasty business deal between Sarkozy, Cameron and Obama which ended with the brutal, illegal and ugly murder of the legal Leader of the Revolution, Moamar Gaddafi.  Essentially, it is the same regicide that occurred under Kennedy against Diem in Vietnam.  And very sadly, regicide is a heinous crime that never leaves its perpetrators unaccountable.  As I have stated in previous articles, I believe that the NATO actions against Libya are criminal aggression, and crimes against humanity.  We should not yawn and go on our way but we should, like we did with Milosevic, require accountability from Sarkozy, Cameron, Obama and Rasmussen.

I stated at the beginning that the sad part of this article is Obama, himself.  Why?  Because, of instead of holding forth his positions in terms of health care, (really all he has) maybe even his withdrawal of troops from Iraq as instigated by President Bush, he instead attempts to blame everything, (except maybe the weather!) on his predecessor, President Bush.

Essentially, this seemingly benign speech is an indictment of the citizens of the USA.  Ultimately, it is they who are President Obama’s target and ultimately, he is blaming them.  Why?  Because in free and fair elections the people elected President Bush and the Democrat Congress and ultimately they are themselves to blame for the results.  It is remarkable that his hearers do not realize that whenever President Obama blames President Bush, he is actually blaming the people who are listening to him.

I am reminded, and I tremble to make this association, but it must be done.  I am reminded of Adolf Hitler, who at the end of his brutal and genocidal regime blamed the German people for everything that happened.  It was because they were not worthy of him.

Amazing but true. He and his generals held onto this absurdity until Hitler committed suicide in the underground bunker, rather than face the fact of a ravaged and destroyed Germany.

And before everybody goes crazy and accuses me of saying that President Obama is Hitler.  That is absolutely not true. And if the President were to ask me to the White House, I would dress in a suit and tie and call him Sir and feel very privileged that the elected President of the USA had allowed me to meet him.  None the less, the analogy stands.

So where is all of this going?  Essentially, I am a Bush and Romney man.  However, I think that President Obama has missed his “greatness” moments and the cited article reinforces the notion that he intends to run his 2012 campaign against President George W. Bush instead of against Governor George Romney.

Sad. Really!  Because, although not a Obama man, I feel that he had and perhaps still has, enormous potential for greatness.  Why do I care?  I love the USA.  Obama is the President of the USA and may be again.  Because he does not fully understand the greatness to which we the people have elected him, substituting instead accusations against us, and therefore against himself, he fails.  And his failure hurts us.  Why?  Because we need his greatness.  And his refusal to be great on our terms, deciding instead to lower himself to Democrat versus Republican partisan bickering, he has refused the greatness which may have been his destiny and was certainly the electorates intention.

Presidemt Obama needs to retire.  But he will not, And like all men who have missed their moment of greatness, he will bicker and recriminate and we will all suffer. Better to leave and build a library to your ideas.  That is the more noble path, Sir.

 

Kofi Annan and Peace

http://news.yahoo.com/annan-meet-assad-seeking-end-syria-violence-002653949.html  The question asked in this article is “Can Kofi Annan” broker a peace in Syria?”  My answer is an unequivocal yes.  However, there are conditions and they are the following:

1. Foreign elements such as the CIA and the British and French Spy agencies must stop fomenting the continued unrest in Syria.

2. Russia and especially Vladimir Putin must be consulted and approve any deal.

3. Iran must be consulted and included in all back door negotiations for a settlement.

4. The legal government of Syria under Assad must be respected and affirmed by the UN as the legal government of Syria.

5. The violent and armed insurgency must be disavowed, disarmed and dissolved by its foreign sponsors.

6. The legal government under Assad must be publicly, and I repeat the word “publicly” engaged and publicly guaranteed legal and legitimate means for resolution of the conflict under Syrian law.

7. The so-called Syrian National Council, which is a surrogate for France and Britain must be disavowed and required to dissolve.

8. China must be constantly consulted and included in the ongoing negotiations for the sovereignty of Syria.

9. USA, Britain and France must publicly affirm their recognition of the legal Assad government in Damascus.

10. NATO must publicly announce that it is not even entitled to intervene in the affairs of the sovereign State of Syria.

11. Turkey, as a member State of NATO must refuse to continue harboring enemies of the Syrian government such as recently defected Generals.

12. Tribal leaders, (for lack of a better “Western” term) must be included as integral to any internal agreement between the government of Syrian and the International community. 

13. In the event of free and internationally monitored elections, the monitors must disavow beforehand the prejudiced and inaccurate statements of election fraud which, for instance, were routinely issued after the election of Vladimir Putin.

I recognise that the 13 conditions place all of the burden on the West respecting the sovereign integrity of the Syrian government of President Assad.  But this is the only legitimate and realistic way to end the outside influenced insurgency and restore peace and tranquility to Syria.  And let me end by emphasis on the central and key role of Russia, China and Turkey.  As for England and France, they are former Imperialist Colonial powers and their hands are already bloody because of their brutal pursuit of Western Imperialism in Libya.  And the USA?  We should be foremost in favor of  national sovereignty as reflected by our own revolution against colonial Imperial England in 1776.  And we should be for non-interference as reflected by our Federal position during our own Civil War, (or War of Northern Aggression) in 1865.  The fact that we abandoned these policies in 1875 versus Mexico and in 1898 versus Spain and in 1917 versus the Axis is merely evidence of our own growth as an international imperial power.  WW II is an entirely different story.  And Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan are exceptionalism adventures, to say the least.

Yes, Kofi Annan can restore peace, to a war ravaged Syria.  However, this writer believes that the adventurism of the USA government is already undermining his efforts.  And I believe that the robust colonial imperialism displayed by France under Sarkozy and England under Cameron, is not likely to dissipate. Therefore, the goodly people of Syria, like the countries of Egypt, and Libya will be the unwitting dupes of the internationalist aspirations of USA Obama, Frances’s Sarkozy and England’s Cameron.  A very sad commentary indeed. 

Conservatives will Hand the 2012 Election to Obama

The Conservative movement is looking for a Messiah.  This person must be 100 % conservative and he/she must please the following people completely: Sean Hannity, Mark Levin and the staff at Newsmax.  Plus this conservative Messiah needs to have been pure and wholly conservative from conception.  There is no room today for a person to move toward Conservative from a more liberal position.  All such persons are immediately suspect and to be opposed by every true Conservative.

Such a Conservative Messiah will be a perfect combination of Rubio, Gingrich,Santorum,Perry,Daniels, and sadly, a plethora of “other than Romney” types.  It is incredible that such intelligent people cannot see through the fog of their mythical dreams and wishful thinking.   Rather, they persist in fighting forcefully against a Romney victory, albeit, professing otherwise.  Steve Hayes on Fox News panel even went so far as to suggest that if this Conservative Messiah is not found in time that Conservatives may just stay home and not even vote.  Such a suggestion that Conservatives may stay home and pout instead of engaging in the public election is evidence of a sadly myopic concept of Conservatism.

The above comments are the way I am seeing it these days, whether it is Steve Hayes on Fox News panel, or any other self-proclaimed conservative blue blood who is speaking.  All are convinced that somewhere there is a Conservative Messiah who will magically appear and save the Republican party from Governor Mitt Romney.

The Conservative movement within the Republican party, and the populist movement called the Tea party, will sink the Republican party before it gets to the election.  Why?  Because the rhetoric of the Conservatives is divisive of Republican party unity and no last moment rally to the flag will undo the months of consistent and persistent Conservative punditry against Romney.  Indeed, it seems from my side line view that Romney’s success is itself enough to turn the Conservative radio commentators into frontrunners for Obama.

Granted, a writer must take the speck out of his own eye before he attempts to take the log out of his neighbors eye, and it is that spirit that I offer this personal viewpoint.

Should this have happened?

http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/toddler-tantrum-gets-family-booted-jetblue-flight-flying-184600037.html#

At first I was amazed at the response of the flight crew.  Then amazed at the response of the pilot.  But when all is considered, there was no way they were compliant with the federal rules.  And it was a complete unknown whether the child would be controlled without medication.  Since the mom was a pediatrician, maybe she could have sedated the child before the flight.  I know this seems harsh but at that young age what else can be done.  What do you think?  I will publish all civil responses, foul lang. and name calling not allowed, we are not children having a tantrum.

The National Reviewers are not Intellectual Giants Just Opinionated People

http://www.tnr.com/blog/timothy-noah/101434/what-about-the-democrats-rush-limbaughs  I just went back to this article and read the comments of the people who cared to comment.  I didn’t comment and do not have a subscription but I suggest that my readers go there, read this prejudiced article, and read the equally petty and unreasonable comments and it testifies to my premise that this is definitely not a magazine of intellectual greatness.