Again to the parties: Go stick it!

I'm out of things for a few days with kidney stones and surgery and all of a sudden I can't create a post with hyperlinks?!?

Anyway:

So the major political parties in Washington State don't like the Blanket Primary system that we've had forever in this state because without public party registration the parties have to do their own party-building and fund-raising ground work. So the parties sue the taxpayers the claim to speak for to force a closed-party primary system. They get their wish, sort of (thanks to the veto pen of Gary Locke). The people pass an Initiative to sweep-aside any weight party labels have on state-run elections. The party bosses again unite to again sue the voters each party claims to speak on behalf of. They finally lose in a 7-2 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Now that we the people have definitively removed any legal connection between party affiliation and the election of public officials (on the taxpayers' dime), the Democrats are now suing the Secretary of State (legally charged with executing state elections) who is a Republican, because he has the audacity to allow candidates to list their own party preference on the General Election ballot (as specified in the same state law that the U.S. Supreme Court already upheld).

The Democrats are crying now because Dino Rossi chose "Prefers G.O.P. Party" instead of listing his own political party preference the way his opposition wants him to (as in "Prefers Republican Party").

Missing

Well I have really wanted to watch Sean Hannity's interview with Governor Sarah Palin, quote Senator Biden back to himself, mention Constitution (aka Citizenship) Day and National POW/MIA Recognition Day, and prequel the Gubernatorial Debate tonight, but that all got put on hold as I spent some time in the hospital for a Kidney Stone.

I highly discourage anyone from partaking in such an endeavor. Really. I can't say enough negative things about the whole experience (which still hasn't been resolved).

So enjoy the debate tonight.

Gibson versus Palin

It's just tiresome.

Why can't the top news anchor for one of the Big Three networks just be a journalist? Why has it become common-place for supposed reporters to interject into their reporting their own commentary? Isn't that what commentators and columnists are paid to do (which is supposed to be different than what reporters are supposed to do)?

Again we have Charlie Gibson simply making his political points:

GIBSON: Can you look the country in the eye and say "I have the experience and I have the ability to be not just vice president, but perhaps president of the United States of America?"
GIBSON: And you didn't say to yourself, "Am I experienced enough? Am I ready? Do I know enough about international affairs? Do I -- will I feel comfortable enough on the national stage to do this?"
GIBSON: Didn't that take some hubris?
GIBSON: But this is not just reforming a government. This is also running a government on the huge international stage in a very dangerous world. When I asked John McCain about your national security credentials, he cited the fact that you have commanded the Alaskan National Guard and that Alaska is close to Russia. Are those sufficient credentials?
GIBSON: I know. I'm just saying that national security is a whole lot more than energy.
GIBSON: Have you ever met a foreign head of state?

Charlie Gibson made his very biased political point (over and over again) that he clearly doesn't think she should be Vice President.

He then moved on to try to goad Governor Palin into declaring that she would go to war with Russia, support Israel bombing Iran, and that she'd invade Pakistan:

GIBSON: You think it would be worth it to the United States, Georgia is worth it to the United States to go to war if Russia were to invade.
GIBSON: What if Israel decided it felt threatened and needed to take out the Iranian nuclear facilities?
GIBSON: So if we wouldn't second guess it and they decided they needed to do it because Iran was an existential threat, we would cooperative or agree with that.
GIBSON: So if it felt necessary, if it felt the need to defend itself by taking out Iranian nuclear facilities, that would be all right.
GIBSON: The Bush doctrine, as I understand it, is that we have the right of anticipatory self-defense, that we have the right to a preemptive strike against any other country that we think is going to attack us. Do you agree with that?
GIBSON: Do we have a right to anticipatory self-defense? Do we have a right to make a preemptive strike again another country if we feel that country might strike us?
GIBSON: Do we have the right to be making cross-border attacks into Pakistan from Afghanistan, with or without the approval of the Pakistani government?
GIBSON: But, Governor, I'm asking you: We have the right, in your mind, to go across the border with or without the approval of the Pakistani government.
GIBSON: I got lost in a blizzard of words there. Is that a yes? That you think we have the right to go across the border with or without the approval of the Pakistani government, to go after terrorists who are in the Waziristan area?

Are you kidding me? "I got lost in a blizzard of words there" ?!? I wish the Governor would have rebuked him there with something along the lines of:
"I beg your pardon?" (not asked in a meak way either)
or
"It's clear that you don't like my answers, but aren't I the one who is supposed to answer questions here?"

Can you imagine Walter Cronkite or Peter Jennings rebuking a candidate they begged to interview because the interviewee wouldn't frame their answers to their own liking?!? I don't recall Gibson being that blatantly rude during his interview with Senator Obama (when the Senator droned on and on with almost every answer, quite often turning his response sharply from the question asked). Gibson wasn't even quite that rude when last he interviewed Senator McCain!

If this were going to be a give-and-take exchange between the host (notice I didn't use the word reporter) and a guest then Governor Palin would have been free to frequently interupt the host, not just the other way around. That is the kind of exchange The O'Reilly Factor presented when Bill O'Reilly and Senator Barack Obama went at it (for 30-40 minutes). I'm sure that Charlie Gibson thinks himself well above Bill O'Reilly. That's too bad (not just because Gibson would be wrong in thinking that) since at least O'Reilly is honest about what kind of exchange he is going to have with a Presidential nominee.

I want to know that

Mister Matthew Damon, of Hollywood movie fame, recently said the following:

”I need to know if she really thinks dinosaurs were here 4,000 years ago. That's an important -- I want to know that. I really do. Because she's going to have the nuclear codes. I want to know if she thinks dinosaurs were here 4,000 years ago. Or if she banned books or tried to ban books. You know, we can't have that.”

Great questions. Too bad that these smears, rumors, and myths have all been thoroughly debunked by the time Mr. Damon said this.

I need to know if Matt Damon is incapable, or just too lazy to get on the World Wide Web, finding ANY search engine, and type in the letters: s n o p e s . c o m – I want to know that. I really do. Because he’s got public influence. I want to know if he’s too dumb to use a search engine. Or if he really isn’t even registered to vote. You know, we can’t have that!

It's like a really bad action movie: the attention-seeking starlet using their celebrity status to bad-mouth someone they don’t agree with. He's yapping about reality and using all his acting skills to try to get people to care what he thinks about politics. It's absurd.

Patriot Day

As today is the Seventh Anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on our nation I thought I would remind everyone that this Patriot Day all flags should be flying at half-staff.

Federal law instructs the President of the United States to direct all Flags to Half-Staff on September 11 of each year for (National) Patriot Day. The President has sort of directed flags to half-staff this Patriot Day.

Nonetheless:
The U.S. Flag (and all subordinate flags) shall be flown at Half-Staff within the entire United States on Thursday, September 11, 2008 from 8 AM (when Colors are raised) to Sunset (when Colors are retired) in accordance with current U.S. Flag Code (Title 36, United States Code, Subtitle I, Part A, Section 144):

Display the flag of the United States at half-staff on Patriot Day in honor of the individuals who lost their lives as a result of the terrorist attacks against the United States that occurred on September 11, 2001.

So if you run across any governmental buildings (including public schools, city halls, fire stations, police stations, Post Offices, et cetera) or businesses that are not properly flying the Flag please politely ask the person in charge there why they aren't following Flag Etiquette.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/09/20080908-2.html

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
September 8, 2008

Patriot Day, 2008
A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

September 11, 2001, was etched into America's memory when 19 terrorists attacked us with barbarity unequaled in our history. On Patriot Day, we cherish the memory of the thousands of innocent victims lost, extend our thoughts and prayers to their families, and honor the heroic men and women who risked and sacrificed their lives so others might survive.

Since 9/11, we have recognized the threat posed by terrorists to the safety of the American people and worked to protect our homeland by fighting terrorists abroad. We are confronting terrorism by advancing freedom, liberty, and prosperity as an alternative to the ideologies of hatred and repression. Our Nation pays tribute to our courageous men and women in uniform serving around the world and the devoted members of our law enforcement, public safety, and intelligence communities at home who work night and day to protect us from harm and preserve the freedom of this great Nation.

Seven years ago, ordinary citizens rose to the challenge, united in prayer, and responded with extraordinary acts of courage, with some giving their lives for the country they loved. On Patriot Day, we remember all those who were taken from us in an instant and seek their lasting memorial in a safer and more hopeful world. We must not allow our resolve to be weakened by the passage of time. We will meet the test that history has given us and continue to fight to rid the world of terrorism and promote liberty around the globe.

By a joint resolution approved December 18, 2001 (Public Law 107-89), the Congress has designated September 11 of each year as "Patriot Day."

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim September 11, 2008, as Patriot Day. I call upon the Governors of the United States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, as well as appropriate officials of all units of government, to direct that the flag be flown at half-staff on Patriot Day. I also call upon the people of the United States to observe Patriot Day with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and remembrance services, to display the flag at half-staff from their homes on that day, and to observe a moment of silence beginning at 8:46 a.m. eastern daylight time to honor the innocent Americans and people from around the world who lost their lives as a result of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighth day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand eight, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.

GEORGE W. BUSH

# # #

Media attacks on attacking the media on media attacks

So what is acceptable and what is beyond the pale when it comes to questions to/about Alaska Governor Sarah Palin in regard to her status as Republican Nominee for Vice President of the United States?

Well I would say smear after smear after smear after smear after smear just might be a bit much. What does it tell you when the only not-republished thing The Seattle Times can "report" about the Chief Executive of our (quasi-)neighboring state of Alaska is:

"critics started talking of a recall"

Oh no! Critics never TALK of trying to recall or impeach their victorious political opposition! Shocking!

Oh, but some say the McCain campaign attack on the media in response to the sexist/smarmy attacks on Governor Palin's personal life by the media was a strategic action to induce a calculated reaction all along. If that's the case then which side is dumber for taking the bait?

Perhaps when ABC's Charlie Gibson interviews Governor Palin he can just ask the same question (slightly re-phrased each time) over and over again to hammer home his own political point of view like he did when he last interviewed Senator McCain?

GIBSON: Can you look the country straight in the eye and say Sarah Palin has the qualities and has enough experience to be commander in chief?

GIBSON: [Obama has] been vetted. Nineteen months he's been debating in front of this country, 18 million times, the primaries people voted for him. With her, we have your say-so.

GIBSON: Senator Obama makes the case he's CEO of a campaign, with a budget, multiple sized the budget of the state of Alaska.

GIBSON: Can you honestly say you feel confident having someone who hasn't traveled outside the United States until last year, dealing with an insurgent Russia, with an Iran with nuclear ambitions, with an unstable Pakistan, not to mention the war on terror?

GIBSON: You can assure people you made this decision based on the idea of country first as opposed to a political decision to solidify the base of the party.

Perhaps instead of throwing any/every negative comment conceivable about Governor Palin against the wall of public debate to see what sticks the media might try reporting on actual FACTS, but that might mean actually having to gather some first! I know, I know...why would a bunch of "reporters" bother with such an unimportant thing like that?!?

The Long Speech

I haven't yet written about Senator John McCain's Nomination Acceptance Speech at the Republican National Convention last week....

His speech was long. Too long really. He had a nice opening when he spoke to Senator Obama. Then he dropped into what sounded like a lengthy stump speech. Finally, when he began telling his story in Vietnam (in a different way then many others have relayed Lieutenant Commander McCain’s experiences) I was moved. When Senator McCain talked about being broken by his North Vietnamese torturers/captors I actually started to tear up a bit (not that crying is a measure of anything concrete – just look to campaign stop ‘Obasms’ to understand how meaningless this can be). Unfortunately this was 43 minutes into his address. I wonder what percentage of the audience that mattered (those who aren’t solidly committed to turning out for either nominee) were still awake and tuned in to hear the rousing final nine minutes of that speech?

Seven Months Later

Before I wax poetic about Senator McCain's nomination acceptance speech I wanted to revisit what I said about Senator McCain seven months ago:

From: Eric W.
Sent: Friday, February 08, 2008 2:48 PM
Subject: Caucusing for Conservatives

My fellow conservatives,

I watched Governor Mitt Romney withdraw from his campaign and watched Senator John McCain give what I thought was a very strong speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference. As I see Senator Rodham-Clinton stump at the Tacoma Dome, and Senator Barack Obama speak at the Key Arena, I am still pondering exactly what I'm going to do when I go to my Republican Party Precinct Caucus tomorrow.

The four choices that still remain for caucusing for Republican presidential candidates are: Congressman Ron Paul, Governor Mike Huckabee, Senator John McCain, and Uncommitted.

Congressman Paul says a lot of things I agree with, but anything positive he has to say gets lost in the “Fortress America” message he champions. His position that we should withdraw *ALL* U.S. forces from everywhere around the world just makes me question how in touch with reality he is. He may generally be the lone libertarian voice in Congress, but I won't even bother discussing why it would be a total waste of my time and effort to stand for Ron Paul's candidacy for President. I don't even think most of Ron Paul's supporters will vote for whoever the eventual Republican Nominee for President come November (as the anti-war candidate in the General Election will be the Democrat).

Governor Mike Huckabee intrigues me a little. I love how he's not afraid to invoke his faith as he stumps for political office; however, I believe his record and espoused policies make him a very weak candidate on a national level. The Fair Tax isn't going to happen anytime soon, his record on taxes is not as simple and attractive as he'd have you believe, and his "Bunker Mentality" comment about President Bush's foreign policy shows his lack of any deep understanding of this country's position as the last Superpower in the world. Frankly I don't even think he'd even be that helpful in drawing many Southern voters come November if he were to become the Vice Presidential nominee.

Then there is Senator John McCain. I, as a Reagan Conservative (who some of my friends say is "just right of Attila the Hun") certainly have been no fan of Senator McCain in the last several years. Since he first ran against then-Governor George W. Bush in 1999 (for the 2000 election for President) he seems to have revelled in his reputation as a Maverick in national Republican politics. The major media fawned all over him as the anti-W Republican. He appears to prefer to associate with prominent Democrats rather than his own party's leadership in the Senate. Bills such as McCain-Feingold, McCain-Kennedy, and McCain-Lieberman are often mentioned with fondness by folks whose world view is diametrically opposed to my own. He speaks of drinking the coolaid of Global Warming, amnesty (by any name) for illegal aliens, banning any drilling in Alaska’s ANWR, and closing Guantanamo Bay as positives.

With all that said it is all but assured that Senator McCain WILL be the Republican Nominee for President once the Republican National Convention rolls around in early September. From the opposition’s perspective the Senator has an _unimpeachable_ record on national security. He has a *perfect* Pro Life voting record. Let me repeat: he has a PERFECT voting record on matters of Human Life. He has a well-earned reputation of cutting pork-barrel spending. He will not appoint judges like Ruth Bader Ginsburg. He will NOT surrender on ANY front in the war on Islamic Terror. He is NOT “Democrat Lite”, yet obviously not my ideal candidate; however, my favorite candidate who was in the race (former Senator Fred Thompson) will likely endorse Senator McCain before we reach the Republican National Convention.

So what is a Reagan Conservative to do at their Republican Precinct Caucus? This uberfan of President Ronald Wilson Reagan is bouncing back and forth between pinching my nostrils and standing for Mac, or to continue to hold out a little longer (knowing full well who I’m voting for in November) and caucusing as an Uncommitted Republican. If a good number of delegates reach the Washington State Republican Convention, and perhaps even the Republican National Convention, as uncommitted to any one candidate, I believe Senator McCain’s campaign will have to continue to at least think about courting those uncommitted conservatives who otherwise may be taken for granted, and perhaps even ignored in the Senator’s dash to the center in his national campaign against whatever Democrat wins their nomination.

As I write this I am more and more convinced that Senator McCain should have to whew we conservatives into not just voting for him in November, but in actively supporting his campaign. Winning takes boots on the ground, volunteers manning phone banks and distributing bumper stickers and pamphlets. I don’t know many conservatives who are excited enough about Senator McCain to do more than admit (a bit begrudgingly) that they will vote for whoever the Republican nominee is on their November ballots. Maybe we the Uncommitted Republicans at our caucuses and conventions can force Senator McCain’s hand to not take the Reaganite base for granted just yet.

Conservatively,
Eric W.
Christian - American - Veteran - Conservative - (mostly) Republican

With hindsight providing perfect 20/20 vision I have to say I was wrong about Senator McCain. He never ran away from the party's conservative base. At all. Even with his pick for a running mate he has courted several groups beyond his base without alienating those of us he needed to get to the General Election.

I fully admit I underestimated John S. McCain. (I'm very happy to see how wrong I was on this). I don't think I will do that again.

Madame Vice President

Once again I was not home to watch the primetime (well, primetime on the East Coast anyway) speeches at the Republican National Convention last night. So I taped the keynote and headline addresses.

As soon as we got home last night we watched the Washington State RNC delegation cast 4 votes for Representative Ron Paul we turned the VCR on (yes, we still use one) and watched the speeches.

The night's keynote address was given by former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. While the text of his speech seemed to be pretty powerful, his delivery was just bad. Really bad. Did I...mention how...bad...his speech...was...delivered?!?

Now the headliner was a different story. Alaska Governor, and now officially Republican Vice Presidential Nominee Sarah "Barracuda" Palin gave an outstanding address!

She was composed, direct, funny, and not afraid of a fight. My kind of candidate!

So bring on the attacks from the media advocates (they call themselves reporters). The more the McCain-Palin ticket is attacked on a personal level the less the casual observer will give attacks in general any credence whatsoever.

RNC Day 2

After watching U.S. House Minority Leader John Boehner speak at the Republican National Convention yesterday I was ready to take a long nap; however, once it finally got to First Lady Laura Bush, President George W. Bush, (the First Lady again), former Senator Fred Thompson, and Senator Joe Lieberman I finally saw some energy on the podium, on the convention floor, and felt some excitement myself!

I wasn't at home for those speeches so I drove home as soon as Senator Lieberman was finished. As I drove the few minutes it took to get home I listened to NPR. Their post-Lieberman Address analysis was ridiculous and extremely biased, but what should anyone expect from the official radio network of the Democratic Party?

Senator Thompson's (aka The Fred) fiery speech was great. Too bad the political opposition can't talk about their nominee with as much national pride as the Republicans can this time around.

I look forward to Mayor Giuliani and Governor Palin's addresses tonight. I am sure the bash-Sarah smear-campaign talking points are out today, and will undoubtedly get more airtime once Governor Sarah Palin has spoken tonight, but I'm hoping that she knocks her speech out of the park so that it is even more obvious to the casual viewer how anti-Palin the "unbiased" media is by this time tomorrow.

The Beginning

Well after years and years (and years) of talking about politics I have finally layed down a cyberspace patch to park those political rants.

Patrick Leonard, my high school sophomore English teacher, and youngest child of then State Representative June Leonard, always said I was "Just Right of Attila the Hun", so here it is!

I am a Christian, a proud American citizen, voter, taxpayer, and U.S. Navy veteran.

I am also a President Ronald Reagan Conservative. That is to say that while I tend to vote for political candidates from the Republican Party I am in no way, shape, or form married to a particular political party.

I'll get on my Soap Box a bit later and start ranting on about whatever topic of the day has me fired up at the time.