How to rob the military and appease dictators: 3 easy lessons

If I didn't already believe 2010 would be a good time to throw the bums out in Congress, a news item on how Senators have robbed our wartime guns and ammo budget for soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan would really tick me off. I was already ticked and now I've moved up to pissed off.

Senators diverted $2.6 billion in funds in a defense spending bill to pet projects largely at the expense of accounts that pay for fuel, ammunition and training for U.S. troops, including those fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to an analysis.

Among the 778 such projects, known as earmarks, packed into the bill: $25 million for a new World War II museum at the University of New Orleans and $20 million to launch an educational institute named after the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, Massachusetts Democrat.

While earmarks are hardly new in Washington, "in 30 years on Capitol Hill, I never saw Congress mangle the defense budget as badly as this year," said Winslow Wheeler, a former Senate staffer who worked on defense funding and oversight for both Republicans and Democrats. He is now a senior fellow at the Center for Defense Information, an independent research organization.

Sen. Tom Coburn, Oklahoma Republican, called the transfer of funds from Pentagon operations and maintenance "a disgrace."

"The Senate is putting favorable headlines back home above our men and women fighting on the front lines," he said in a statement.

It's only $2.6 billion, which is chump change for Senators, but it's the principle of the thing that really pisses me off, $20 million to honor the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, who never saw a war he liked and never saw a war protester he didn't like? What the hell has that got do with defense?

I'm mad as hell and I'm going to tell everybody I know it's time to clean out the D.C. pig sty.

And speaking of Teddy Kennedy and the peaceniks, Wesley Pruden reports today on the recent adventures of Peacenik No. 1 and Peacenik No. 2 now in power, Obama and Hillary, and how their adventures with the big, bad Russians are working out. Suffice it so say, not too well.

The Russians succeeded in putting Mr. Obama and the Americans in their place. Nikolai Patrushev, the chief of the Presidential Security Council, manufactured an occasion while Mrs. Clinton was in Moscow to warn that Moscow reserves the right to make "a pre-emptive nuclear strike" against both small and large enemies.

In an interview with Izvestia, the important Moscow daily, he said Russian officials are examining "a variety of possibilities for using nuclear force, depending on the situation and the intentions of the possible opponent." In situations critical to national security, he said, "options including a preventative nuclear strike on the aggressor are not excluded." Even regional or "local" wars will be included in the new strategy, expected to be official policy in December.

A willingness to use any or all weapons, if the time and place is right, is nothing new, of course. If the stakes are high enough everybody will use everything, and only fools object. The significance of these remarks, which were certainly calculated for effect while Mrs. Clinton was in town, is what they tell about how the Russians regard the toughness of Barack Obama, the noble peacenik with a prize to prove it, and whether there is any "there" there.

Mrs. Clinton and her acolytes at the State Department, ever eager to seek the softest way to say nothing, tried to put a nice face on her visit to Moscow. The United States, Russia and China are "closer than before" on their policies regarding Iran's nuclear-weapons program, Mrs. Clinton told a radio interviewer. She seemed to be taking care not to say that actual positions are closer, just that everyone understands those positions: Russians tough, Americans soft.

And to make a long post even longer, I can't leave this topic without quoting Sir Charles Krauthammer, who sums up the Obama-Clinton Doctrine of International Appeasement.

Well, at nine months, let's review.

What's come from Obama holding his tongue while Iranian demonstrators were being shot and from his recognizing the legitimacy of a thug regime illegitimately returned to power in a fraudulent election? Iran cracks down even more mercilessly on the opposition and races ahead with its nuclear program.

What's come from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton taking human rights off the table on a visit to China and from Obama's shameful refusal to see the Dalai Lama (a postponement, we are told). China hasn't moved an inch on North Korea, Iran or human rights. Indeed it's pushing with Russia to dethrone the dollar as the world's reserve currency.

What's come from the new-respect-for-Muslims Cairo speech and the unprecedented pressure on Israel for a total settlement freeze? "The settlement push backfired," reports The Washington Post, and Arab-Israeli peace prospects have "arguably regressed."

And what's come from Obama's single most dramatic foreign policy stroke -- the sudden abrogation of missile defense arrangements with Poland and the Czech Republic that Russia had virulently opposed? For the East Europeans it was a crushing blow, a gratuitous restoration of Russian influence over a region that thought it had regained independence under American protection.

But maybe not gratuitous. Surely we got something in return for selling out our friends. Some brilliant secret trade-off to get strong Russian support for stopping Iran from going nuclear before it's too late? Just wait and see, said administration officials, who then gleefully played up an oblique statement by President Dmitry Medvedev a week later as vindication of the missile defense betrayal.

The Russian statement was so equivocal that such a claim seemed a ridiculous stretch at the time. Well, Clinton went to Moscow this week to nail down the deal. What did she get?

"Russia Not Budging On Iran Sanctions: Clinton Unable to Sway Counterpart." Such was The Washington Post headline's succinct summary of the debacle.

Note how thoroughly Clinton was rebuffed. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declared that "threats, sanctions and threats of pressure" are "counterproductive." Note: It's not just sanctions that are worse than useless, but even the threat of mere pressure.

It gets worse. Having failed to get any movement from the Russians, Clinton herself moved -- to accommodate the Russian position! Sanctions? What sanctions? "We are not at that point yet," she averred. "That is not a conclusion we have reached ... it is our preference that Iran work with the international community."

But wait a minute. Didn't Obama say in July that Iran had to show compliance by the G-20 summit in late September? And when that deadline passed, did he not then warn Iran that it would face "sanctions that have bite" and that it would have to take "a new course or face consequences"?

Gone with the wind. It's the U.S. that's now retreating from its already flimsy position of just three weeks ago. We're not doing sanctions now, you see. We're back to engagement. Just as the Russians suggest.

Maybe in 2010 and 2012, we the voters can put some adults back in charge of our nation. But God help us until then because the children in charge now are giving away our future daily.

President Obama's World Diplomacy Amateur Hour Show

In case you haven't been paying attention, and the mainstream media certainly hasn't, President Obama's amateur hour on world diplomacy is making V.P. Joe Biden look like a genuine prophet.

Sir Charles Krauthammer has been paying attention to world affairs and gives the rundown:

WASHINGTON -- The Biden prophecy has come to pass. Our wacky veep, momentarily inspired, had predicted last October that "it will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama." Biden probably had in mind an eve-of-the-apocalypse drama like the Cuban Missile Crisis. Instead, Obama's challenges have come in smaller bites. Some are deliberate threats to U.S. interests, others mere probes to ascertain whether the new president has any spine.

From Russian to Iran to Pakistan to Venezuela, America's enemies have been firing shots across Obama's bow and so far his response has been his trademark "cool" which means either he's not paying attention, is so inexperienced and amateurish he doesn't know how to respond or is so full of overblown ego and bravado he thinks the famous Obama smile and diplomacy will make it all go away before one of these tryants kicks off a full-blown international incident with the U.S.

I suspect it's all of the above. And to add to Krauthammer's list of pending international crises, Obama's "seasoned" Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announces that North Korea is in the midst of a succession crisis. This may be true, but talking about it publicly is almost guaranteed to set off a row with the notoriously paranoid North Korean commies. Nicely played Hillary.

She's bringing her diplomatic skills to bear like she did as First Lady in bringing peace in the midst of Kosovo sniper fire and between the Northern Ireland Catholics and Protestants. And as suspect as those credentials she boasted of during the campaign are, Obama's credentials on foreign policy are even worse. They're nonexsistent. This President needs some training wheels.

And Ollie North reports in today that the war in Afghanistan ain't looking too rosy either as President Obama gives the general in charge there only half the troops he asked for in a "Stealth Surge" that seems to be at best a half-measure for a worsening situation.

And guess what Glenn Beck was predicting on Fox News this morning? A full-blown depression worldwide touching off riots and civil unrest not seen since the Great Depression -- or worse.

I don't know about you, but I'm thinking about digging a hole and pulling it in after me.

'The Liberal Victimhood Game' and how it plays voters

What do Rod Blagojevich, Caroline Kennedy, Hillary Clinton, U.S. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy and President Barack Obama all have in common, other than they're liberal Democrats?

They're all victims. Or more accurately, they have used the cloak of victimhood as they rose to power in politics. I'll let Ann Coulter explain. Nobody explains liberals and how they manipulate their way into power better than Ann in her column today: Liberal Victimhood: A Game You Can Play at Home

I notice that liberals have not challenged the overall thesis of my rocketing bestseller, "Guilty: Liberal 'Victims' and Their Assault on America," which is that liberals always play the victim in order to advance, win advantages and oppress others.

I guess that would be hard to do when the corrupt Democratic governor of Illinois is running around comparing himself to Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi.

Indeed, you can't turn on the TV without seeing some liberal playing victim to score the game-winning point.

You really need to read the whole thing to understand how liberal "victims" weasel their way to power with the considerable help of the liberal-dominated mainstream media, of course.

Hillary sez: Obama will take away your guns

Hillary Clinton pointed out Obama's hypocrisy of claiming to be for gun rights during the primary.

Hillary tells the truth about Obama

How to make Jews vote for McCain-Palin

Yet another ham-handed stupid move by the Obama campaign may well cost him votes among Jews, another crucial group usually Democratic.

Disinviting Sarah Palin to a Jewish forum to protest the visit of Iran's President, Iyamanutjob, to speak at the U.N. is causing an uproar.

Many prominent American Jews and a number of media outlets are labeling the action disgraceful.

The New York Post, noting that these rallies had taken place for years with the participation of political candidates of different parties, was among those labeling the decision to dump Palin a “disgrace.”

...The Post was not alone in expressing outrage. A local New York news report cited angry local reaction to reports that the group organizers had been pressured — perhaps threatened with loss of tax exempt status — to disinvite Palin:

“This is insulting. This is embarrassing, especially to Gov. Palin, to me and I think it should be to every single New Yorker,” Assemblyman Dov Hikind, D-Brooklyn, told CBS 2 HD.

...”It’s an absolute shame that this has happened,” Hikind said. “To threaten organizations … to threaten the Conference of Presidents that if you don’t withdraw the invitation to Gov. Palin we’re going to look into your tax exempt status … that’s McCarthyism.”

The same story quoted President of “Hillary Now” Bob Kunst: “I’m absolutely appalled at the behavior of the Democrats. I’m a Democrat and for the first time in my life I’m going to vote Republican. I can’t take it anymore.”

Wow. Another smooth move, ticking off prominent Jews, a New York Democratic legislator and a big-shot Hillary Democrat. A full hat trick.

Jewish writer Roger L. Simon explains who's on first in An Open Letter to My Fellow Jews:

The virtual night of the long knives played out between the Democratic Party and various Jewish organizations surrounding the Iran demonstration, including allegations that party operatives were threatening the loss of tax exempt status over Sarah Palin’s appearance, with more unpleasant revelations undoubtedly to come, is obviously causing people to reconsider this allegiance to the Democratic Party that approaches fealty.

I urge my fellow Jews to keep thinking about this and not to retreat into the cocoon-like safety of an outmoded tradition. Change is difficult. But remember that Hillary Clinton – that paragon of the Democratic Party, a woman who calls herself a “progressive” (oh, desecration of the English language!) – was willing to forego the protest of the man who is arguably the most significant enemy of the Jews since Hitler for partisan and (most likely) personal pique reasons. How morally repellent is that!

And then Joseph Biden told us he was busy–too busy to protest a nuclear-armed madman who fervently believes that his mysterious Twelfth Imam (Mahdi) is destined to unite a chaotic globe under Allah. (And don’t tell me that evangelicals believe similar things. If you think there is an equation between evangelicals and Khomeinist Islamists, you need a cold bath.)

No, those Democrats thought of themselves and their party first, the citizens of this country and the world later. When Republicans behave in a similar reprehensible manner, we should condemn them with all ferocity. But fellow Jews, stop being slaves to the Democratic Party. End this illicit love affair – not just for your own good, but for the good of humanity.

Political Ear Protection gear for veterans

I gotta get me one of these. Maybe a pair of 'em.

A 73-year-old vet was photographed wearing the latest in political ear protection recently when Obama and Hillary addressed his fellow vets at a Veterans of Foreign Wars Post meeting.

Hillary Democrat abandons Obama

Debra was a Hillary supporter. Now she's a McCain voter. May her tribe increase.

The return of Bill and Bruno II

Jonah Goldberg uses a monster movie theme to chronicle the umpteenth return of Bill and his lovely wife Bruno, and guess who the victim in the shower is in Nightmare on Dem Street?

The Clintons are back. The coffin lid has sprung open, the seal of the crypt has been broken, the mutant virus has escaped the lab. Both Clintons will speak at the Democratic convention, and Hillary will get her I-told-you-so's.

...But fixating on the plot is never a good idea with monster flicks. The point is that the story is always the same. And so it is this time as well. Bill and Hillary are back. And forever more, Barack Obama won't be able to take a shower without fear of that curtain snapping back, as a woman - or is that a man? - prepares to plunge the knife into his back.

Amanda Carpenter at Townhall.com says the Clinton pair's starring role at the Democratic Convention reveals just one more reason Obama is not quite ready for prime time.

While Obama slipped away to Hawaii, Hillary Clinton finagled herself a roll call vote at the Democratic convention and her husband a prime time speaking slot.

In other words, Obama got rolled by Hillary for his own convention. That should tell you something about his ability to stand up to hardknuckled political leaders.

Don't Wana Live in Obama's America!

I just saw this parody video produced by Cam Edwards of the NRA. Never heard of Green Day, but I guess it's a rock band. I sorta lost track of rock after The Band folded back in 1978.

Speaking of history, remember this recent quote?

"Sen. McCain has a lifetime of experiences that he will bring to the White House. And Sen. Obama has a speech he gave in 2002.”--Hillary Clinton

And for those who believe in prophecy, as I do, there's also this flashback to the past. The coming of Barack Obama, political epiphenomenon, was prophesied in The Nation in 1999:

“So if politics has become no more than a mere epiphenomenon of entertainment, a shadow play of a shadow play, why not go to the source?”—Peter Biskind; When Worlds Collide; The Nation (New York); April 5, 1999.

Now back to the present. Hillary Clinton's name will be placed on the ballot at the Democratic convention! The Obama and Clinton press offices distributed the following press release today:

Since June, Senators Obama and Clinton have been working together to ensure a Democratic victory this November. They are both committed to winning back the White House and to to ensuring that the voices of all 35 million people who participated in this historic primary election are respected and heard in Denver. To honor and celebrate these voices and votes, both Senator Obama's and Senator Clinton's names will be placed in nomination.

Who said political conventions are boring? This is gonna be very interesting. I smell a floor fight. If Obama wins, maybe the ripple will pass. If Hillary wins, all bets are off. Pass the popcorn.

Bill & Hill plan Denver drama

Maureen Dowd at the New York Times has got her pretty red head all in a dither. She’s shouting out a warning to Obama, far away in Hawaii on vacation, that meanwhile back at home, Bill and his lovely wife Bruno are hatching a deep, dark plot to steal the show at the Denver convention.

Can Hillary pull off such a dastardly deed as stealing the nomination from the Anointed One, the Obamessiah? Dowd warns Yes, She Can

While Obama was spending three hours watching “The Dark Knight” five time zones away, and going to a fund-raiser featuring “Aloha attire” and Hawaiian pupus, Hillary was busy planning her convention.

You can almost hear her mind whirring: She’s amazed at how easy it was to snatch Denver away from the Obama saps. Like taking candy from a baby, except Beanpole Guy doesn’t eat candy. In just a couple of weeks, Bill and Hill were able to drag No Drama Obama into a swamp of Clinton drama.

Now they’ve made Barry’s convention all about them — their dissatisfaction and revisionism and barely disguised desire to see him fail. Whatever insincere words of support the Clintons muster, their primal scream gets louder: He can’t win! He can’t close the deal! We told you so!

Hillary’s orchestrating a play within the play in Denver. Just as Hamlet used the device to show that his stepfather murdered his father, Hillary will try to show the Democrats they chose the wrong savior.

It’s OK, Obama. Party on. Maureen’s just feeling a little paranoid. What could possibly go wrong? Bill and Hill wouldn’t dare stab you in the back.

The return of Bill and Bruno?

Denis Keohane at American Thinker is thinking the unthinkable for nervous Democrats on convention eve: Could Obama still lose the nomination?

Will Hillary outsmart Obama and take the nomination at the last minute?

According to RealClearPolitics, Obama has 1766.5 pledged delegates, 352 short of the 2118 needed to secure the nomination. He also has 463 super delegates, which puts him over the top -- if they hold. If a combination of Clinton campaigning and nervousness can cause a hundred and twenty or so super delegates to sit out the first ballot, Obama does not get the nomination on the first ballot and perhaps not at all. After that first vote a great many pledged delegates and all the super delegates are free to vote as they choose.

…It looks like Obama's belief in his inevitability may have led him into a blunder, making it easier for Hillary supporters to prevent a nomination on the first ballot. After that point, anything goes, as all super delegates and many pledged delegates are free to vote their preferences.

After accepting the party's decision last June to seat the delegates from Michigan and Florida but with half votes, only days ago Obama said he wanted the delegates to have full votes.

Obviously, he said this believing he has won the nomination and that pandering to voters in critical general election states is of more importance.

If the party goes along with Obama's request, it reduces the number of super delegates who would need to sit out the first ballot for Obama to be denied the nomination, opening the way for Clinton! Ouch!

…There are about three weeks to the delegate voting. Things can still happen or even, as sometimes suspected with the Clintons, be made to happen.

Looks like I may have to take back what I said about Obama having one real accomplishment thus far in his brief political career: Finally ridding us of Bill and his lovely wife Bruno. I should have learned by now that the Clintons never quit. We’re gonna have to burn the stump and sift the ashes before we can ever say that power couple’s career is over. Chicago politics may be tough, but Arkansas politics may just be even tougher.

PUMA sharpening claws

Rick Moran at American Thinker says Obama’s short list of VP candidates has been whittled down to finalists and It ain't gonna be Hillary

Hillary followers are now pretty much resigned to the fact that she will not make history as the first female Vice President. But it angers some of them that the honor may go to another woman…

…there is a strong and growing movement made up of Hillary supporters - PUMA -PAC - that is refusing to support Obama and continues to push Hillary's candidacy at the same time threatening to support McCain over Obama in November.

If Obama were to pick another woman for the ticket, it just might drive the PUMAs over the edge and see them landing in McCain's lap. It's hard to imagine that most of those Democrats would vote for McCain but there is little doubt that a sizable percentage of them would.

That might spell trouble for the messiah in November...

In case you haven’t heard, PUMA PAC was formed by a group of die-hard Hillary supporters. It stands for Party Unity My Ass!

We’ll find out in Denver during the party convention whether PUMA will be willing to take no for an answer. Don’t you just love a cat fight?

Robert Stacy McCain at the American Spectator Blog also says not picking Hillary won’t go over well with Democrat voters in the election.

These voters quite naturally assume that, after such a close-fought contest, Hillary has earned the right to be on the ticket. They haven't noticed Obama's comments and furious vetting efforts that show he's seeking an ABC ("Anyone But Clinton") running mate, with most speculation centering on Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine. And when it is finally announced that Hillary won't be on the ticket, it's going to be a huge jolt, one that many will perceive as a purposeful insult to the former First Lady.

Jennifer Rubin at Pajamas Media reports Hillary Supporters Are Mad and They’re Not Going to Take It Anymore!

Rubin spoke with the founder of Puma PAC, Darragh Murphy, who says they realize the Democratic Convention will nominate Obama.

And what will the Puma members do after the Convention? Murphy concedes, “We’re realists. … We know the DNC is committed to the path of nominating their chosen candidate.” In November she explains, “We are protesting the election.” Members will sit home, write in Hillary’s name or vote for John McCain. She explains, “That up to them. That’s part of our whole philosophy.”

I gotta confess I joined Rush's Operation Chaos and became a temporary Democrat to vote for Hillary here in the N.C. Primary. So far, it looks like Rush's plan is still working like a charm.

Stocking up on guns

I’m one of those bitter, backwoods rednecks whom Obama referred to earlier in the campaign as clinging to my God and my guns. And I gotta admit I hope the BATF ain’t hovering over my house in a black helicopter because I’ve bought a few firearms recently (Steyr M357-A1 pictured), at least partially due to the possibility of there being a real honest-to-God President Obama instead of just the current pretend version (or a President Hillary either. Lord, deliver us!).

And I’m not alone, as more than a few of my gun-nut buddies have told me they’re doing the same, too. But who needs an excuse to buy guns?

David Paulin at American Thinker reports the prospect of a “President Obama” is already creating an economic stimulus with Gun sales up in Texas

This summer, sales at McBride's Guns in Austin are 10 percent higher, compared with the same time last year.

"Our regular client base is very concerned about anti-gun legislation if the wrong people get elected," said Joe McBride, owner of McBride's Guns, adding "what they see as the wrong people."

AJC Sports Inc., which is based in Clute and sells firearms at gun shows in Austin, has seen strong sales for more than a year, said Alan Jones, the company's president. About mid-February every year, Jones said, sales drop off until the store gets busier in August, right before hunting season. But in February 2007, sales didn't go down as usual, he said, and sales have increased 60 percent since then.

A year ago, Jones said, consumers were worried because they thought Sen. Hillary Clinton would clinch the Democratic nomination, and if elected, might push for stricter gun laws.

Keith Hetz, who sometimes helps a friend sell firearms at the Saxet Gun Show at the Crockett Center, said he worries about new laws limiting how many firearms people can own or how much ammunition they can buy. In the past year, Hetz said he has stocked up on ammunition and bought two handguns and a shotgun.

Now there’s some change you can believe in.