The History Revisionists Continue

Normally I would normally would not link to this Blog/Site, but I feel that this is extremely warranted.

Via Think Progress:

On PBS’s Charlie Rose yesterday — six years after the eve of the Iraq invasion — former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice discussed the decision to invade Iraq. Rice said she has had no “second thoughts” about striking the country, and when pressed by Rose on whether Saddam Hussein had connections to 9/11, Rice blankly said that “no one” believed in such a link:

ROSE: But you didn’t believe it had anything to do with 9/11.

RICE: No. No one was arguing that Saddam Hussein somehow had something to do with 9/11.

ROSE: No one.

RICE: I was certainly not. The President was certainly not. … That’s right. We were not arguing that.

Hmmm… That is kind of funny, because of this:

In his book, Bush At War, Bob Woodward noted that Bush said after 9/11, “I believe Iraq was involved, but I’m not going to strike them now.” Rice was no exception either. On Sept. 15, 2002, she said that Saddam had “links to terrorism [that] would include al-Qaeda.” As late as September 2006, she remarked, “there were ties going on between Al Qaeda and Saddam Hussein’s regime going back for a decade.” Cheney still believes there was a link between Iraq and al Qaeda.

In recent weeks, former Bush administration officials have continued to push the link. Bush maintains that he was right to make a false link between Iraq and 9/11. Former press secretary Ari Fleischer said last week, “But after September 11th, having been being hit once, how could we take a chance that Saddam Hussein might not strike again?”

I may not be a big fan of President Obama and his big Government socialism. But I will take that over a buffoon Administration that cannot even get their damned stories straight. Yes, I still believe that the Bush Administration mislead America, on the reasons for going to war in Iraq.  Do I believe that there should be punishments handed out? Sure, if there were any laws broken. But we all know that this will never happen, because we never punish our political leaders; Waco, Ruby Ridge and many other idiot acts by the idiotic centralized Government have proven that.

Mark Steyn on debt to our kids

Mark Steyn on the debt that we’re leaving our Children:

Just between you, me, and the old, the late middle-aged and the early middle-aged: Isn’t it terrific to be able to stick it to the young? I mean, imagine how bad all this economic-type stuff would be if our kids and grandkids hadn’t offered to pick up the tab.

Well, OK, they didn’t exactly "offer" but they did stand around behind Barack Obama at all those campaign rallies helping him look dynamic and telegenic and earnestly chanting hopey-hopey-changey-changey. And "Yes, we can!"

Which is a pretty open-ended commitment.

Are you sure you young folks will be able to pay off this massive Mount Spendmore of multitrillion-dollar debts we’ve piled up on you?

"Yes, we can!"

We thought you’d say that! God bless the youth of America! We of the Greatest Generation, the Boomers and Generation X salute you, the plucky members of the Brokest Generation, the Gloomers and Generation Y, as in "Why the hell did you old coots do this to us?"

via Mark Steyn: Welcome, kids, to the Brokest Generation – Opinion – OCRegister.com.

Now, I realize that Steyn was being snarky. To be fair, much of this debt was brought on, long before Obama ever took office. But Obama sure did not do anything to stop the increase of that debt. In fact, Obama has added to it.

This whole idea of tax the rich, and spend out way out of a recession, is just bad all the way around. Mainly, because we are spending money that we do not even have. We are getting it from China, who is increasingly getting nervous about giving us this money; not to mention, they are becoming more hostile by the day.

So, while I think it is quite fun to blame the Democrats from everything from the weather to my inability to get laid. (Surprised)  Some things you just cannot put on one party or the other; because, quite frankly, both parties have done the dirty of adding to our national debt.

Others: Cold Fury and Pajamas Media

A startling and sobering reminder

It comes from a Magazine’s Blog that I keep in my RSS feeds.

I keep Chronicles Magazine’s Blog in iGoogle, because I like to read traditional Conservative writings. These writings are a welcome alternative to the Neo-Conservative blather that comes from some of the more popular Conservative blogs out there. Although, I will be the first to admit, many Conservative Blogs now are really getting back to their true Conservative roots, now that Obama is in the White House. Some of the blogs, admittedly attack Obama just for the sake of attacking a Democrat, some however, like Lew Rockwell and others like him, attack Obama for legit reasons.

Having said all the above, here’s an entry by Clyde N. Wilson, which makes a very valid and quite sobering point; which only reinforces my feeling that big Government is just not good Government.

Clyde Writes in an entry titled, “It can’t be repeated too often”:

Ruby Ridge.  Your President George H.W. Bush sent a foreign assassin to murder (from hiding) an American woman standing in the door of her own home holding her baby.

Waco.  Your President Clinton sent a military expedition to incinerate children who were unfortunate enough to be in company of adults who had offended the federal police apparatus.

9/11.  Your federal government, with a $30 billion intelligence budget, could not prevent a bunch of  unarmed felaheen (who should not even have been in the country to begin with) from killing over 3,000 people in our economic capital and destroying part of the military headquarters of our vaunted global empire.

Iraq.  Your President Bush Minor lied to justify a failed war of agression.  He sent the forces into an unnecessary war with inadequate equipment, despite a multibillion-dollar “defense” budget, and without a viable plan.

Many American citizens, probably in the thousands, have been murdered and otherwise victimised by illegal aliens because of your presidents’ deliberate decision not to enforce the laws, in order to put the interests of foreign politicians and domestic rich people over the welfare of citizens.

The Supreme Court and the federal bench for more than a half-century now have been dominated by evil people, unscrupulous petty tyrants, who have subverted the Constitution and laws, protected criminals from punishment, interfered in countless matters that are none of their business, overturned solemn decisions of the majority, and placed unjust burdens upon the people.

Nobody has ever been reprimanded (as far as I know), much less fired or punished for the above.

Not only is Clyde right on about this; there are two points can be taken away from the quote above.  That truth is this:

  1. We never really punish our political leaders, some would say because the President is merely a puppet, being controlled by the bank cartels.
  2. Big centralized Government has never been, nor will it ever be, a good thing; it is bound to make screw ups, some small, and some, as presented above, quite large.

An Interesting Movie

I post this because I believe that it is interesting. Alex Jones has always struck me as a kook. Someone amongst the “Tin Foil Hat” crowd. However, it is something interesting to watch.

Enjoy…

What do you think? Do you think that there is any truth to this?

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An Interesting Video

Okay, I’d like some feedback on this video here. (H/T to this guy)

Not sure what to think…. Opinions Please.

The only part I really disagreed with is, the part about a Republican style of Government. I do not believe that it was referring to the modern day Republican Party, But rather was referring to a Republic style of Government and not the actual party itself.  This would be in contrast to British Monarchy or a, dare I say it?  A Socialist Democracy. 😀

Again, feedback, Please, comment!

(Via Freedoms Phoenix)

I must admit, Patterico does have a good point

I normally wouldn’t link this guy, but he does have a very valid point.

Basically, Patterico says that the Democrats have zero right to criticize we Conservatives  for wanting Bambi to fail. Why?

This: (click to make it bigger)

poll-should-bush-succeed

Basically, in 2006, there was a poll taken, where 53% of Democrats said that they hope that Bush failed. (Poll is in PDF format…)

So, as Patterico says:

Have this poll handy the next time some Democrat gets snooty about Rush wanting Obama to fail. It’s proof that the Democrats didn’t want Bush to succeed. They have no standing to claim the moral high ground. None.

I cannot say that I disagree with this. The Democrats from the time that the Iraq war started turning bad, till the day Bush left office, would not cut George W. Bush any slack at all. I even, once the surge started, gave him a little slack to see if it worked, Obama and his Democratic partners in crime, like over at the DailyKos, would not, at all.  To this day, Obama refuses to admit that the Surge in Iraq worked.

Update: Oh, before anyone asks; No, I was not cool with the idea of going into Iraq; especially when the whole WMD thing came up as bogus.  But, I was willing to give the President a break and let him get the situation straightened out there. The Liberal Left? Not so much. All one had to do, is tune into MSNBC or CNN and listen to the talking heads criticize Bush.

Good show Patterico, even if you did try and slander me over at another Blog, by bringing up crap that happened over a year ago, and something I totally apologized for. 😛

Others: Flopping Aces and Sister Toldjah

Uh-Oh: Iran Test Fires New Missile

Um…. I hope Barry is not too tired to deal with this one:

Iran has test-fired a new air-to-surface missile, Iranian media reported on Sunday, in the Islamic Republic’s latest display of its military capability.

The missile test was carried out despite the offer by the administration of new U.S. President Barack Obama to engage Iran in direct talks if it “unclenches its fist”.

Iran’s Fars News Agency said the domestically produced missile had a range of 110 km and was designed for use by military aircraft against naval targets.

“Now these jet fighters have acquired a new capability in confronting threats,” the semi-official news agency said. Iran’s Press TV initially said a long-range missile had been tested, but later also used Fars’ way of describing it.

Iran often stages war games or tests weapons to show its determination to counter any attack by foes such as Israel and the United States.

Israel and Washington accuse Tehran of trying to develop nuclear bombs. Iran says its nuclear programme is a peaceful drive to generate electricity so that the world’s fourth-largest oil producer can export more of its gas and crude.

Israel, believed to be the only nuclear-armed Middle East state, has said Iran’s nuclear plans threaten its existence and has not ruled out military action if diplomacy fails to end the dispute.

via Iran test-fires new missile – Reuters.

….and Yet, President Bambi wants to try and hold talks with these crazy people? I fear for our country. 🙁

I think Bush was right, as were many Republicans who said, that Obama would rather appease terrorists, than stiff arm those who promote Terrorism.

What gets me is, how Bush was lambasted for making that Statement; and at the time, I thought he was kind of off for saying that myself. Now, I believe that Bush was absolutely correct. The truth is, Iran is a country that is a supporter of terrorism. I mean, terrorism of Israel and all of its allies, including the United States.

The question is, how will President Obama respond to this? Will he ignore it or will He stand up and condemn this sort of an action?

The answer will most likely come….. When Obama is done with his nap. 🙄

(H/T Drudge)

The Southern Avenger on “Affirmative Action GOP”

How Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal’s awful Republican rebuttal to President Obama’s speech before Congress represents a wrongheaded and ill-fated GOP strategy of minority and gender identity politics.

The Southern Avenger’s Blog

The Southern Avenger’s Blog @ Taki’s Magazine

Nothing ever changes in Washington D.C.

Heh.

The Obama administration, siding with former President George W. Bush, is trying to kill a lawsuit that seeks to recover what could be millions of missing White House e-mails.

Two advocacy groups suing the Executive Office of the President say that large amounts of White House e-mail documenting Bush’s eight years in office may still be missing, and that the government must undertake an extensive recovery effort. They expressed disappointment that Obama’s Justice Department is continuing the Bush administration’s bid to get the lawsuits dismissed.

During its first term, the Bush White House failed to install electronic record-keeping for e-mail when it switched to a new system, resulting in millions of messages that could not be found.

The Bush White House discovered the problem in 2005 and rejected a proposed solution.

via Obama administration tries to kill e-mail case – AP.

Hey far lefty liberals! How’s that Hope and Change working out for ya eh? 😆 🙄

Too funny for words. What the Liberals get for putting all thier Faith and trust into a magic moonbat.

Others: Newshoggers.comFlopping Aces

The Southern Avenger on “Crisis-Mongering”

How President Obama’s haste and hysterics in passing his stimulus to alleviate the economic crisis is similar to Bush’s theatrics in addressing the terror “crisis.”

The Southern Avenger’s Blog

The Southern Avanger at Taki’s Magazine

Taki’s Magazine HQ

Former Lieutenant Governor of New York says Stimulus contains rationed medicine

This is President Barack Obama’s idea of economic revival?

The former lieutenant governor of New York is warning that the $50 billion that President Obama expects to spend in the next few years on a nationwide digital health records system for every individual easily could, and probably will, result in rationed medical care.

WND recently reported on a little-discussed provision in Obama’s plan that would demand every American submit to a government program for electronic medical records without a choice to opt out, raising alarms for privacy advocates.

Privacy advocates said patients might be startled to discover personal information could be shared electronically with, perhaps, millions of people, including documentation on abortions, mental health problems, patient non-compliance, lawsuits against doctors and sexual problems.

Sue A. Blevins, president of the Institute for Health Freedom, said unless people have the right to decide “if and when” their health information is shared, there is no real privacy.

Now Betsy McCaughey, former lieutenant governor of New York and an adjunct senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, has released a commentary warning about the likelihood of rationed care – or a health care system that simply provides treatment when it determines the cost-benefit ratio for the treatment and the patient meets its guidelines.

Obama plans to spend $50 billion “over five years” to create a system of electronic health records for every person who sees a doctor.

“Tragically, no one from either party is objecting to the health provisions slipped in without discussion,” wrote McCaughey. “These provisions reflect the handiwork of Tom Daschle, until recently the nominee to head the Health and Human Services Department.”

“If the Obama administration’s economic stimulus bill passes … in its current form, seniors in the U.S. will face … rationing. Defenders of the system say that individuals benefit in younger years and sacrifice later.”

Other nations that utilize such programs typically deny costly treatments to patients who are senior citizens, and McCaughey warns that would be the case in the United States, too.

via Stimulus contains rationed medicine —- WorldNetDaily.

If this report is even remotely true; this would be the same thing as what happened in Germany during World War II and to certain extent here in the United States as well. The very idea of rationing medicine to children who need it most, is about the most despicable thing I ever heard.  I think that this would be good time to stand up and call your senators and demand that this provision be removed from the bill.

I will also say this, that if this stimulus bill fails to deliver all the “Pie in the Sky” promises that Obama is say that it will. He will be a one term President. The people will not be lied to, as I blogged about last night, the far left is already angry over the Obama continued use of Bush tactics, when it comes to trials of the terrorists. So, watch what happens with this Stimulus, if it flops, so will Obama’s approval ratings.

Andrew Sullivan: Idiot Faux Conservative Douche Nozzle

Remember that rant by David Duke, regarding Michelle Steele’s election to the Republican Party Chair that I blogged about yesterday?

Well, it seems that a particular faux conservative has once again showed his incredibly liberal side. I am referring to faux conservative, illegal immigrant and Blogosphere resident fake conservative fag boy;  Andrew Sullivan. Mr. Sullivan gives Duke his so-called “Malkin” award.

He is, of course, referring to syndicated columnist, Conservative Blogger and quite the serious MILF;  Michelle Malkin. (Of course, I am kidding about the M.I.L.F. part! (Well, sorta… She is hot, and yes, I’d hit it, given the chance… :D)

Now this is where this blog entry might just veer off into swearing, name calling and a bit of anger, so, to be safe and because I happen to know that my readership has increased. I’m going to start the butt chewing after the fold.

Proceed at your own risk, DANGER! CONTENT WARNING AFTER THE FOLD!

Read More …

President Obama breaks another campaign promise

Here’s another campaign promise under the bus!

Via The L.A. Times:

The CIA’s secret prisons are being shuttered. Harsh interrogation techniques are off-limits. And Guantanamo Bay will eventually go back to being a wind-swept naval base on the southeastern corner of Cuba.

But even while dismantling these programs, President Obama left intact an equally controversial counter-terrorism tool.

Under executive orders issued by Obama recently, the CIA still has authority to carry out what are known as renditions, secret abductions and transfers of prisoners to countries that cooperate with the United States.

Current and former U.S. intelligence officials said that the rendition program might be poised to play an expanded role going forward because it was the main remaining mechanism — aside from Predator missile strikes — for taking suspected terrorists off the street.

The rendition program became a source of embarrassment for the CIA, and a target of international scorn, as details emerged in recent years of botched captures, mistaken identities and allegations that prisoners were turned over to countries where they were tortured.

The European Parliament condemned renditions as “an illegal instrument used by the United States.” Prisoners swept up in the program have sued the CIA as well as a Boeing Co. subsidiary accused of working with the agency on dozens of rendition flights.

But the Obama administration appears to have determined that the rendition program was one component of the Bush administration’s war on terrorism that it could not afford to discard.

So much for the changing all of the Bush Administration’s tactics to deal with terror.  One would think that the left would raise a ruckus about this. But surprisingly, there’s not been the unhinged outrage that I expected.

Others: Hot Air, The Raw Story, theheretik.us, Liberty Street, Moe_Lane’s blog, MacsmindJules Crittenden and Pat Dollard

Terrible Ice Storm Rocks Kentucky, FEMA takes Five Days to respond, AP does not have the stones to critize Obama

Talk about the shoe being on the other foot! 🙄

The Story:

Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear has called up all of his Army National Guard troop and some Air National Guard units to get the state back on its feet following a crippling ice storm.

The addition of 3,000 soldiers and airmen makes 4,600 Guardsmen pressed into service. It’s the largest call-up in state history.

More than 400,000 people remain without power in Kentucky five days after the storm hit. Many others still lack electricity in other states from the Midwest into Appalachia.

The storm is suspected in at least 42 deaths across several states. Authorities say it could be weeks before some areas get power back.

via Storm-struck KY calls up entire Army Nat’l Guard – AP

The reason I say the above about the AP, is because if you look over on Tim Blair’s Blog, you see the following quotes from the AP:

Dozens of deaths have been reported and many people are pleading for a faster response to the power outages. Some in rural Kentucky ran short of food and bottled water, and resorted to dipping buckets in a creek …

Local officials grew angrier at what they said was a lack of help from the state and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

[…]

Emergency Management Director Randell Smith … said roads are littered with fallen trees and people shivering in bone-chilling cold are in need.

“We’ve got people out in some areas we haven’t even visited yet,” Smith said. “We don’t even know that they’re alive.”

Smith said FEMA was still a no-show days after the storm

But if you go back to the original AP article, the parts quoted above are gone! Just like magic. Could it be that the editors at the AP, are scared of “The One” and fear that criticizing his response to this disaster in Kentucky might put at risk their ability to report from the White House?

Further more, five days?!?!?!?! Does anyone remember the outrage expressed by the Liberal media, after the disaster in New Orleans during Katrina? I have yet to hear any sort of outrage about this from CNN, I have yet to hear Anderson Vanderbilt Cooper yelling at Government officals on his show.

But the “magic one” did give a phone call, so it’s all good!:

Kentucky’s governor is praising the Obama administration’s prompt reaction to the fierce wintry weather that slammed his state.

“They really hit the ground running,” said Steve Beshear, interviewed by CNN. “They’re working very hard to get all the equipment and supplies here that we need.”

Crews have been working to restore power and water service to hundreds of thousands of people. Beshear said that while he realizes “nothing moves fast enough,” he said the federal assistance “has been a great help to us so far.”

Beshear, a Democrat, explained that when the first wave of bad weather came through on Tuesday and Wednesday morning, officials realized that they needed additional help.

“I called the White House directly at that time. I had my other folks talking to FEMA, but I went straight to the top because we needed fast help,” he said.

He said he spoke to the director of intergovernment relations and said she walked Kentucky’s paperwork through. He said President Obama called him and told him he was announcing an emergency declaration for the state.

“I can’t tell you how appreciative we were,” the governor said. “He not only expressed his concern, but he obviously had the Kentuckians in his thoughts and prayers, and he communicated that to us.”

Oh, He called, big whoopee do! Why isn’t he down there? Why isn’t he doing more? Oh wait, that’s because he’s a Democrat and they can do no wrong. My Bad.

Does anyone remember this picture, that left about lost thier mind over?

I remember how the liberal media crucified Bush over this. But Obama just makes a Phone call and he gets off, scott free!

Can you say Bias?

I knew you could!

Update: Michelle Malkin finally gets around to Blogging about it.

Others: Right Wing Nut House and Tim Blair

See Liberals? We did win.

I am so happy to read about this.

The Video:

Voting was extended by one hour due to a strong turnout, including among Sunni Muslims who boycotted the last polls.

The first nationwide vote in four years is being seen as a test of Iraq’s stability ahead of a general election due later this year.

Thousands of soldiers and police were deployed around polling stations.

The election is also being seen as a quasi-referendum on the leadership of Mr Maliki.

“This is a victory for all the Iraqis,” he said, after casting his vote in Baghdad’s highly-protected Green Zone.

He said a high turnout would be an indicator of “the Iraqi people’s trust in their government and in the elections” and “proof that the Iraqi people are now living in real security”.

via BBC NEWS | Middle East | Iraqi PM hails vote as ‘victory’.

Of course, the New York Times cannot provide a positive outlook on the election there. That’s because it messes with the script that the liberal media must stick to. You know, that the war in Iraq cannot be won, that we must retreat in shame and lose. The usual for that crowd. Notice how they drudge up crap from like 2007 and previous to that? Why can’t they just report the positive stuff and not remind people of the past?

I wish the people of Iraq all the best for their future. 😀

I think I would be speaking for many, if I said that every Military death in Iraq was worth the pictures up there in that video. I admit, there were screw ups. But we did finally get it right. That video is proof of that. I believe that somewhere in the distant future, George W. Bush will be remembered for Democracy that exists now in Iraq. However, those on the far left will never let the world forget that the WMD thing was a mistake. Which I think, was unfair. Bush acted on what he knew at the time.

God Bless Our Troops. 😀

Others: Hot Air, RedState, Neptunus Lex, Don SurberQandO and More via Memeorandum

Another example of why Neo-Conservatism failed in this election

Check out this interview of former McCain blogger and editor of the Weekly Standard Michael Goldfarb.

The Money Quote:

“It’s unbelievable the way the media has covered this and the way has been played — which is partly from the bullshit inside the campaign. When you have The New Yorker write a story about how Sarah Palin was selected… well, that was like Jane Goodall going in and writing about fucking apes mating in the jungle–they don’t know what’s going on. They’re writing from another planet. I like Sarah Palin, I think she was a very attractive candidate, but I think she made a lot of mistakes. But so did Biden.”

Jeffery Goldberg thinks that Goldfarb is crazy. I disagree, I do not see crazy there, I see something that was a hallmark of the Bush Administration, and that’s cocky arrogance. Which seems to be what McCain’s biggest downfall was. Goldfarb’s arrogance and his refusal to admit that Bush was wrong about his convictions is what totally turns me off.

Oh, and by the way, I know what I wrote here, okay? Goldfarb made a good point. That’s all I am saying. I didn’t say that I like the guy. You can be right and still be a feckless prick.

(via Memeorandum)

I was afraid of this

Last night I blogged about this and warned the far right not to do it, but naturally, because I am such a small blog, no one listens.

Anyhow, Huffington Post has the complete transcript of President Obama’s interview with Al-Arabiya Arab TV Network. Head on over and read it, because it is a bit much to quote here. Of course, the reaction amongst the far-right blogs was quite predictable.

However, Michael Goldfarb over at the Neo-Conservative Weakly Standard (:P) makes a valid point:

Reacting to this quote here:

Q Will the United States ever live with a nuclear Iran? And if not, how far are you going in the direction of preventing it?

THE PRESIDENT: You know, I said during the campaign that it is very important for us to make sure that we are using all the tools of U.S. power, including diplomacy, in our relationship with Iran.

Now, the Iranian people are a great people, and Persian civilization is a great civilization. Iran has acted in ways that’s not conducive to peace and prosperity in the region: their threats against Israel; their pursuit of a nuclear weapon which could potentially set off an arms race in the region that would make everybody less safe; their support of terrorist organizations in the past — none of these things have been helpful.

But I do think that it is important for us to be willing to talk to Iran, to express very clearly where our differences are, but where there are potential avenues for progress. And we will over the next several months be laying out our general framework and approach. And as I said during my inauguration speech, if countries like Iran are willing to unclench their fist, they will find an extended hand from us.

Mr. Goldfarb comments:

Wouldn’t a simple ‘no, a nuclear Iran is unacceptable to the United States and our allies’ have sufficed? Instead Obama says that Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear weapon is “unhelpful,” that it’s “not conducive to peace.” When Obama was in Israel, he said that “a nuclear Iran would pose a grave threat and the world must prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.” He added that he would “take no options off the table in dealing with this potential Iranian threat.” In the first debate of the general election, Obama reiterated that the United States “cannot tolerate a nuclear Iran.” But when Obama has the chance to speak directly to the Muslim world, he can only muster retread rhetoric from his inaugural address about clenched fists and open hands.

President Bush was incapable of engaging the Muslim world with his own words, but neither was it possible for the Muslim world to confuse his view of American interests in that region. President Obama has the potential to secure real progress through his skill as a communicator, but there’s always been a fear that some portion of his success in negotiating difficult issues was the result of a willingness, or perhaps a compulsion, to tell his audience whatever it is he thinks they want to hear.

I must say, he does have a valid point. One cannot use flowers and anvils at the same time. It tends to confuse people. Hats off to Goldfarb for bringing up this point.

Liberal Democrat John Conyers starts Liberal Witch-Hunt against Bush Administration

This ought to be very interesting.

via Politico.com:

House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) has subpoenaed Karl Rove, the former top political advisor to President George W. Bush, to question what Rove knows about “politicization” of the Justice Department.

The Senate Judiciary Committee had subpoenaed Rove during the last Congress, but relying on an executive privilege claim by Bush, Rove refused to appear.

Conyers had previously subpoenaed former White House Counsel Harriet Miers and Josh Bolten, Bush former White House chief of staff, seeking any information they had. Conyers is also seeking White House documents related to the firing of nine U.S. attorneys.

After the White House refused to comply with the subpoenas, and Miers refused to even appear before the committee to answer the subpoena, the House Judiciary Committee sued. A federal judge backed the committee in a major win for Conyers and House Democrats, but resolution of the case has been delayed by the changeover in administrations. President Obama has vowed to comply with congressional subpoenas.

“I have said many times that I will carry this investigation forward to its conclusion, whether in Congress or in court, and today’s action is an important step along the way,” Conyers said.

Rove has until Feb. 2 to respond to the subpoena.

To me, this looks like a partisan witch-hunt. Because no proof that Karl Rove or anyone else at the White House knew about it. Just Liberal accusations.

Update:  This is not to say there was no bad conduct at the Justice Department, Monica Goodling basically admitted that she made some very unethical decisions. But to attempt to tie it to Karl Rove and to George W. Bush by Proxy; is basically a stretch. I mean, because there is no proof of it, at all. All there is, are E-mails that have been parsed to extract Liberal talking points. I mean, do the Liberals really believe that Karl Rove, of all people, is going to sing like a bird? I mean, the man’s a Bush Loyalist. He is just not going to give the Democrats what they want.

The problem is, Obama is not going to enforce this at all:

Obama and Eric Holder, the administration’s nominee for attorney general, have both said they will not try to “criminalize policy differences” with the Bush administration, especially controversial policies like authorization by the Justice Department of waterboarding.

So, it looks like Mr. Conyers is going a have a bit of trouble of getting the support of the White House on this. However, there’s this:

But many prominent Democrats, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) and Sen. Patrick Leahy (Vt.), chairman of the Judiciary Committee, have said they want to pursue Bush administration officials whom they believe misled Congress.

There two ways one can look at this. It could be that Conyers will be on his own, because Pelosi won’t support it. However, on the other hand; Pelosi, Leahy and possibly other, like Wexler, might get behind this and pursue it and not have the support the White House; thereby creating a rift between Congress and the White House.

Either way, it will be an interesting story to follow, as you know, as well as I, that this will spark an outrage among the far right, especially amongst the Neo-Conservative media. Somehow, I just do not think that the Democrats in Congress want to risk a fierce blowback in the media from the Conservatives. Because any way you attempt to paint this, it will be viewed by some, as a partsian witch hunt. I just do not believe that the Democrats have the stomach for a backlash that would follow something of this nature.

More on the wiretapping of the media

Following up on the piece and the video that I posted yesterday. Here’s more on that story including feedback from a journalist that knew he was being tapped.

and…

I post these, not because I agree with anything that the far left has to say. But because I believe in accountability in Government, corruption is wrong and it should prosecuted; and if Bush was, in fact, doing this, He should be punished. Plain and Simple.

Editorial: President Obama, You Must Order an Investigation, NOW!

I started Blogging on February of 2006, I started out as a independent Blogger, a bit of a “Left of Center” type; I began because I broke off a relationship with a Church. This was due to a pastor royally stabbing me in the back. Around that same time, CNN did a special on just how mismanaged the Iraq had been; not long after this, it was revealed that there were absolutely no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, at all. This is when I knew that it was time to go back to something I did well at, as a young boy; writing.

When Bush won in 2000, I did not think much of it, I, like most of the country, was very tired of hearing about ongoing Clinton scandal. I felt that Bill Clinton had disgraced the White House, I had voted for him, twice and now I was hearing that he had disgraced that White House by giving oral sex to an intern. I was quite miffed about it. However, I figured America would get past it. When Al Gore lost, I did not go to pieces; I really did not follow politics as I do now. To me, they were all the same, elect the best person, and hope he does the job. That was at the time, my philosophy, if you want to call it that. Besides, I was very busy working a job that kept me working almost fifty hours a week, if not more. In short, I was about as far away from politics as one can be and I did not care that much for it.

However, in 2006, after the event described above happened, I began to read online and see in the news reports the Bush was wrong about Iraq. That began to tip my suspicions about him. Thus began my venture into the world of Blogging. I did not and still do not consider myself a Democrat, I could never run with those who believe that the Government is the solution to world’s problems. Furthermore, I could never align myself with a group of people that believe that making a profit is evil. However, something that Bush was doing just did not seem right. At the time, I thought calling my Blog, “The Populist” was a perfect solution. I always felt that the Government should be, “of, for, and by we the people.” The problem with that is, that I was quite unaware that the Populist Party that existed between the period of 1884 and 1908, is quite different from the Democratic Party of today. I know this to be the case now.

I never was a far left Democrat, While I am all for the supporting of the middle class, and I feel unions have their place too. I feel abortion is just morally wrong, at the same time, however, I feel that it should never be a legislative issue, at all. Further, I believe, as a Christian that the homosexual lifestyle is morally wrong. Nevertheless, I believe that if someone wants to carry out that lifestyle behind closed doors that is that person’s business. However, I do not believe that our Nation’s constitution should be modified to change the definition of marriage. I guess you would call me a “Reagan Democrat.”

I crossed to the “right of center” political stance because of what took place in this election. I watched a party that I voted for, since I was eligible to vote at age 18, basically take the principles it was founded upon and toss them in to the wind, all to elected a man, that was, I felt, not even remotely qualified to President of the United States.

Having said all of this, I find myself back here at the writing tablet, angry again. This time because of a serious revelation that the now Former President of the United States of America was actually using his powers as President of the United States to spy upon the people of this nation. That is correct, this is not a joke, revelations are now coming out that Former President Bush was using the NSA to spy on the American people, more specifically Journalists, who Bush knew were not on his side.

Let me say this, before I get into the video that I am about to present. This is not about Conservatism, this is not about Liberalism, this about that sacred document that is at the National Archives, called the Constitution of the United States of America. This is about the proper rule of law; we are not Nazi Germany, nor are we the Soviet Union, We are America and American Presidents do not do things like this, at all!

Now the video and I do not want to hear any stupid remarks about who is presenting this information:

 

Having seen this video and allowed it to sink in and digest what information was laid at my feet; I felt the need to write, mainly to channel my anger, and to send the new President of United States of America an open and clear message.

Mr. President, You must investigate this and investigate this now!

This sort of blatant disregard for the rule of law in America cannot be tolerated at all. As the presenter of this video told in a special comment, just a day before, if we do not punish those who attempt to Govern outside of the rule law to get away with their crimes, it will only continue to fester into more crimes in the future.

Mister President Obama, I did not vote for you, however, you are the President of all of us, even those of us who did not vote for you. I ask you, as a humble citizen of the United States of America, as someone who believe that the Constitution of the United States of America still matters; please, order an investigation of this lawlessness; now.

Because what will we tell our children? That we allowed a paranoid President to rule as a tyrant, because he felt like that it was right thing to do at the time? Insanity, Mister President cannot be the order of the law in a Free and Constitutional Republic. Nor can it be the rule of law in a free and democratic society.

I simply ask you sir, please, for the future of our nation, do the right thing.

Surprising Quote of the Day

As the 43rd president waves goodbye to Washington, relatively few Americans share his proud assessment of his own presidency.

George W. Bush leaves the White House with one of the lowest approval ratings in history. According to Gallup, only Richard Nixon and Harry Truman, who suffered the double whammy of a bad economy and the unpopular Korean War, had lower approval ratings when they left the White House.

Today, Bush’s legacy to his successor is two unresolved wars, a global image that is deeply tarnished, and the greatest economic crisis in modern times.

Conservatives who backed Bush in two successive elections have little to show for their efforts. Bush, in fact, has decimated the Republican brand.

Bush Commutes Sentences of Ramos & Compean

Justice finally has been served in this case.

First the Video: (via Breit Bart)

The Story via FOX News:

On his last full day in office, President Bush commuted the controversial sentences of two former Border Patrol agents convicted of shooting a Mexican drug runner in 2005.

The imprisonment of Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean had sparked outcry from critics who said the men were just doing their jobs and were punished too harshly. They had been sentenced to 11- and 12-year sentences, respectively.

Their sentences will now expire on March 20 of this year.

Ramos and Compean were sentenced in connection with the shooting of Osvaldo Aldrete Davila, who was shot in the buttocks while trying to flee along the Texas border. He admitted smuggling several hundred pounds of marijuana on the day he was shot and pleaded guilty last year to drug charges related to two other smuggling attempts.

The pair’s case ignited debate across the country, as a chorus of organizations and members of Congress — many of them Republican — argued that the men were just doing their jobs. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., was particularly outspoken on the issue, at one time describing Ramos and Compean as “unjustly convicted men who never should have been prosecuted in the first place.”

Nearly the entire congressional delegation from Texas and other lawmakers from both sides of the political aisle pleaded with Bush to grant them clemency. Conservatives hailed Bush’s decision Monday.

“The whole thing was ridiculous from beginning to end, and two years was way too long for them to serve,” said radio talk show host Laura Ingraham. “Conservatives are very happy across the country.”

Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, said in a written statement that Bush had “responded to the calls for compassion that came from across the country and made the right decision in granting these two men commutations.”

What President Bush did today, was possibly the best thing that he has done, since the days after September 11, 2001. When he stood on the fire truck. I do agree with President Bush that these guys did deserve to punished, but that the sentance recieved was much too harsh. I am glad to see that Bush did the right thing. 😀

I will say this, however, if I were those families, I would be working on finding another state to live in, because something tells me, that there are those who will be out for revenge against these two guys.

Others: Fausta’s Blog, Hot Air, Pat Dollard, The Other McCain, Macsmind, Moonbattery, Michelle Malkin, JammieWearingFool

The Final Radio Address of President George W. Bush

I offer this, without commentary.

Transcript:

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. For the last eight years, I have had the honor of speaking to the American people Saturday mornings through this radio address. In hundreds of broadcasts, I have talked to you about important issues affecting our security and our prosperity. And today, in my final address, I want to send a simple and heartfelt message: Thank you.

Eight years ago, Laura and I left our home in Texas to come to Washington. Through two terms in the White House, we have been blessed by your kind words and generous prayers. We have been inspired by those of you who reach out to feed the hungry, clothe the needy, and care for the sick. We have been moved by the courage and devotion of those of you who wear the uniform. Serving as your President has been an incredible honor.

Like every individual who has held this office before me, I have experienced setbacks. There are things I would do differently if given the chance. Yet I’ve always acted with the best interests of our country in mind. I have followed my conscience and done what I thought was right. You may not agree with some tough decisions I have made. But I hope you can agree that I was willing to make the tough decisions.

The decades ahead will bring more hard choices for our country, and there are some guiding principles that should shape our course. While our Nation is safer than it was seven years ago, the gravest threat to our people remains another terrorist attack. Our enemies are patient, and determined to strike again. America did nothing to seek or deserve this conflict. But we have been given solemn responsibilities, and we must meet them. We must resist complacency. We must keep our resolve. And we must never let down our guard.

At the same time, we must continue to engage the world with confidence and clear purpose. In the face of threats from abroad, it can be tempting to seek comfort by turning inward. But we must reject isolationism and its companion, protectionism. Retreating behind our borders would only invite danger. In the 21st century, security and prosperity at home depend on the expansion of liberty abroad. If America does not lead the cause of freedom, that cause will not be led.

As we address these challenges — and others we cannot foresee today — America must maintain our moral clarity. I’ve often spoken to you about good and evil. This has made some uncomfortable. But good and evil are present in this world, and between the two there can be no compromise. Murdering the innocent to advance an ideology is wrong every time, everywhere. Freeing people from oppression and despair is eternally right. This Nation must continue to speak out for justice and truth. We must always be willing to act in their defense — and to advance the cause of peace.

Eight years ago, on a cold January morning, I stood on the steps of the United States Capitol, placed my hand on the Bible, and swore a sacred oath to defend our people and our Constitution. On that day, I spoke of “our Nation’s grand story of courage and its simple dream of dignity.” Next week, my term of service will come to an end — but that story and that dream will continue.

On Tuesday, Laura and I will join all Americans in offering our best wishes to President Obama, his wife Michelle, and their two beautiful girls. And later that day, we will return to the love of family and friends in Texas. I will depart office proud of my Administration’s record. And I will spend the rest of my life grateful for the opportunity to have served as President of the greatest nation on Earth.

Thank you for listening.

(Source)

Yeah Right: Pelosi is open to Bush Administration prosecutions

I got just one thing to say about all this here…..

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is receptive to the idea of prosecuting some Bush administration officials, while letting others who are accused of misdeeds leave office without prosecution, she told Chris Wallace in an interview on “FOX News Sunday.”

“I think you look at each item and see what is a violation of the law and do we even have a right to ignore it,” the California Democrat said. “And other things that are maybe time that is spent better looking to the future rather than to the past.”

Rep. John Conyers, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, announced Friday he wants to set up a commission to look into whether the Bush administration broke the law by taking the nation to war against Iraq and instituting aggressive anti-terror initiatives. The Michigan Democrat called for an “independent criminal probe into whether any laws were broken in connection with these activities.” — via Pelosi Open to Prosecution of Bush Administration Officials | Political News – FOXNews.com.

I will believe it, when it see it. I think, if anything, Nancy Pelosi is trying possibly trying to garner support from the far left, so that the Congress rates will go up.  There are good number of reasons why this will not happen:

  1. The Political backlash towards Congress would be horrible. The Conservatives, especially the Podhoretz and Kristol funded Neo-Cons;  would line up in royal opposition to any sort of a trial. They would bring out every piece of dirt on Obama; Rev. Wright, His Birth Certificate, his ties to Ayers, for the world to see….again.
  2. President-Elect Obama’s ratings would plummet, many independents voted for Obama because they saw him as a break from the polices of George W. Bush. They did not vote him in to see a political partisan witch hunt trial. Which is what this would be perceived to be, by the American people.
  3. Obama has clearly stated that he wants to take Nation forward, and not backward. In short, Obama wants to move on. He just does not need the drama in his first term.

So, my fellow Conservatives, while this might sound bad. I would simply dismiss it as baseless talk to get support.

(Why do I feel like I am doing a episode of talking points memo?)

Others: Michelle Malkin, VodkapunditPat Dollard, ,and Riehl World View

(H/T Memeornadum)