Conservative Musings

A Good Speech

The President gave a basically good speech tonight.  I thought he did a good job of highlighting the Democrats' defeatism in foreign policy and national security.  They looked distinctly uncomfortable at times.

Some of the Fox News commentators did not like his comments on Iran, but I thought they were appropriate.  I especially like his comments to the Iranian people.  Do I think our nations will ever be friends?  It would be nice but I have my doubts.

The low point of the President's speech happened when he talked about immigration.  I believe that legal immigration is a strength for the country.  I believe that illegal immigration will drain us dry.  Ask California.

--Red

Rep. Lynn Woolsey's Guest...

didn't quite get to keep her seat in the House balcony.  Just the PR she needs for her possible run in a California Senate race.  Rep. Lynn Woolsey's web site, just in case you'd like to give your opinion on her invitation.

-Colonel Steve

Courier-Journal's "1984" Moment

I finally have to give a thank you to the folks at Fraters Libertas, for at least pointing me to a local story.  They mention Lileks' post about a Courier-Journal admission of re-writing a story.  More precisely, rewriting politicians quotes.

Seems that the CJ thought Louisville area natives couldn't handle the truth.  They took Ray Nagin's quote "It's time for us to rebuild New Orleans  --  the one that should be a chocolate New Orleans.", and paraphrased it for us: "Nagin also promised that New Orleans will be rebuilt and again will be 'a majority African American city.'"

Interestingly enough, I never knew the CJ did this.  Why?  I, like many conservatives in this area, don't subscribe.  I get my news unfiltered, from blogs, the internet, and other places that tell me "we report, you decide".  I then get ALL the info, so I can decide. 

I'd like to see the CJ rewrite this story, of parent Gannett's 33% drop in value over the last couple of years:

I think I know enough myself, without their help.  One more stock NOT to buy.

-Colonel Steve

Hamstringing the Republicans

Carol Platt Liebau had a post on Sunday, 1/29, referring to Debra Burlingame's article in the Wall Street Journal.  She pulled out the following quote which I thought was very good:

The mantra of civil-liberties hard-liners is to "question authority"--even when it is coming to our rescue--then blame that same authority when, hamstrung by civil liberties laws, it fails to save us.

I thought of another way to phrase it:

The mantra of the Democrats is to "question Republicans" -- even when they are coming to our rescue -- then blame the Republicans when, hamstrung by the Democrats' activities, they fail to save us.

(I would have linked directly to Carol's post but the permalink there does not seem to be working.)

--Red

Had He Been In Louisville Today....

we wouldn't have seen this (thank you, Michelle Malkin).  As you heard earlier, Ted Kennedy was originally scheduled to speak today in Louisville.  However, he thought filibustering Alito was more important.  And blowing up, it seems.

Video link at Expose the Left.

Oh yeah, after all this hot air, the Senate votes 72-25 to end debate and clear the way for a vote on Alito tomorrow.

-Colonel Steve

Run, Baby, Run

Several years back, Churchill Downs (Home of the Kentucky Derby) started a PR series of commercials with the title "Run, Baby, Run".  It always had someone cheering on the horse they have wagered on with the words Run, Baby, Run!!!

I thought of that as I read Michelle Malkin's whole hearted endorsement of Casey Sheehan's mom running for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Dianne Feinstein.  I could say a lot about it, but I think only 3 words sum it up:  Run, Baby, Run!

I understand Generation Why's feelings, that her running makes Feinstein look more moderate.  However, I think that in California politics, Feinstein is an almost shoe-in for her seat.  Nothing is likely to stop that.  But if Sheehan insists on moving to this platform, she's going to lose her media platform the MSM has up to now allowed her to have.  Plus, if she were to win (with conservative help?), we've given the U.S. liberal party more weight to sink their ship (see Ace of Spades HQ discussion of this).

Some of the others who have likewise endorsed her run: California Conservative, Moorewatch, Nascar Dads, Redeem America, The Mad Tea Party, and Gateway Pundit.

Jimmy Carter Lacking Sense

The Jerusalem Post has reported on Jimmy Carter's latest election monitoring, this time the Palestinian elections.  After stating that the elections were fair, he continued:

Carter, who has long supported the participation of Hamas in the Palestinian elections, voiced the hope that the Islamic terror group would act "responsibly" now that it had won the elections.

Sad that Carter still does not understand the Middle East.

(HT: Redstate)

-Colonel Steve

Britain Women Leaning Pro-Life

According to the Guardian, women in Britain are believing that abortion there should be more restrictive.

A majority of women in Britain want the abortion laws to be tightened to make it harder, or impossible, for them to terminate a pregnancy.

Evidence of a widespread public demand for the government to further restrict women's right to have an abortion is revealed in a remarkable Observer opinion poll. The findings have reignited the highly-charged debate on abortion, and increased the pressure on Tony Blair to review the current time limits.

The survey by MORI shows that 47 per cent of women believe the legal limit for an abortion should be cut from its present 24 weeks, and another 10 per cent want the practice outlawed altogether. Among the population overall, reducing the upper limit was the preferred option backed by the largest proportion of respondents, 42 per cent, made up of a 36-47 per cent split among men and women.

Only one person in three agreed that 'the current time limit is about right', with slightly fewer women (31 per cent) than men (35 per cent) saying that. Just 2 per cent of women and 5 per cent of men think the last possible date after which a woman can end a pregnancy should be increased from 24 weeks.

Note the news that most American pro-abortion folks won't tell you - other countries put limits in their abortion laws.  Britain's is 24 weeks.  The push behind this limiting comes from the new technology we have today:

Increased awareness of the realities of abortion, and the impact of ultrasound images of a 23-week-old foetus smiling and grimacing, have made people change their views, said Ivereigh. The latter 'very dramatically showed that what had been depersonalised in many people's minds as a foetus was clearly seen to be a baby, a human being in formation, and that has come as a shock to many people', he added.

Definitely positive news on the Pro-Life front.

(HT: Michelle Malkin)

-Colonel Steve

Meme -- Me Me?

Well, I saw this meme over at La Shawn Barber's Corner and thought it would be fun:

Four Jobs I've Had in My Life:
Busboy
Waiter (much better busboy than waiter!)
Short Term Missionary: Reach Out Singers
Computer Programmer

Four Movies I Could Watch Over and Over, and Have:
The Princess Bride
Beauty and the Beast (Disney)
Star Wars
The Sound of Music

Four Places I Have Lived:
Louisville, KY
Battle Creek, MI

Four TV Shows I Love To Watch:
Monk
Smallville
Stargate Atlantis
Stargate SG1

Four Places I Have Been On Vacation:
Asheville, NC (honeymoon!)
St. Lucia
Sweden
Soviet Union

Four Websites I Visit Daily:
Louisville Weather
Fox News
My Yahoo Blog Page -- RSS feeds from all my favorite blogs!
ZDNet Technology News

Four Favorite Foods:
Pepperoni Pizza (Papa John's or Domino's)
Chicken Milanese Pomodoro from Bravo Cucina Italiana
Chicken Burrito from Qdoba (love that habanero sauce!)
Pecan Chicken Tender Salad from O'Charley's

Four Places I Would Rather Be Right Now:
This was hard, as there really is no place I would rather be than the last entry.
Disney World
St. Lucia
Washington DC Area
Heaven

Four People I Am Tagging With This Meme:
skipping this

--Red

Which Is Reality?

Quiz for today:  Which of the following is actual "reality"?

    a) Sitting around on a desert island, having competitions with your fellow refugees.
    b) Winning a million dollars, only to be jailed for tax evasion.
    c) Experiencing both a) and b).

Prior to this week, I would have said b) was most likely to be a reality-based answer, considering all the lottery winners there were out there.  After this week, Richard Hatch can answer with c).

On the subject of reality shows, Britain's channel 4 is running what might be called an open casket reality show.  No, I'd prefer to watch paint dry, myself.  (HT: Diane's Stuff, dustbury.com).

-Colonel Steve