Going To See United 93

I am going to see United 93 this afternoon, of course a matinee as I do like to save money wherever I can. I am not particularly surprised at some of the reactions to it. It in someways falls along the partisan lines as to even if we in a real war or not.
Of course we are in a real war and the brave souls on United 93 did what the government, the might of the United States armed forces could not do. They fought back and no doubt saved the United States Capitol building and or the White House from destruction at the hands of the Islamofacist terrorists that declared open war on the United States, its allies and the West in general.
We are in a war and we need to be reminded of it any way we can.
One of the aspects that I do not think President Bush has done a good enough job is to remind us that Iraq is not the only aspect on the War Against Terror and in trying to balance an America where the economy is the strongest it has ever been with the fact we are in war that will not just determine whether or not we continue to have a strong economy but whether or not Western civilization will survive the Islamofacist onslaught. Maybe no one, not even Ronald Reagan, could even pull it off.
I will provide a review of United 93 later.

Wishful Thinking

As I wrote yesterday, the Democrats are thinking that they can take congress back by the simple fact that Americans are so unhappy with the Republicans that they will vote for people that have no plan simply because they are not the party in power.
It is wishful thinking.
Despite the lousy poll numbers for the president and congress, the American people are smarter than simply voting for the other guy just because they don't like the way things are going.
Why do I have this hope?
Because I think this is the bottoming out of the numbers.
Mr. Bush will have the numbers go up because gas prices will stabilize and there will be a troop withdrawal from Iraq.
What the president has to do is what he does best.
He has to lead. He needs to take the innitive from all comers.
After all, he has led the war against terror, led the way on the tax cuts and had the guts to talk about social security reform.
Eventually the public will see that he is not a focus group president unlike his predecessor. As he has and infact some events were beyond his control, he will make mistakes. But the public will see that at the end of the day he is honest and trustworthy.
No one on the other side can lead like Mr. Bush. They only care about their special interest groups and try to please them. They do not speak for the vast majority of Americans and it has shown as they have been solidly defeated in the last three national election cycles and the red states are getting redder and the blue states are singing the blues.
What we need Mr. President is for you to lead.
That is what the American people are looking for as well.

Why Congress Will Stay Republican

As much as Democrats and thier allies in the left-wing dominated mainstream media would like, the Democrats will not take congress this year unless there is something out there other than maybe Bush Fatigue.
The reason I have come to this conclusion is because, after reading Hugh Hewitt's book "Painting The Map Red", is because for the Democrats to not only take the House of Representatives and the senate is changing a lot of red, Republican states and that will not happen.
The Democrats need to win 16 seats to take the House and 6 to take the Senate.
It is possible that this could happen.
If gas prices keep going out of control and there is more American military deaths in Iraq, it is a possibility.
But, by election day gas prices will come down to under $3 dollars a gallon and there will be some troop withdrawal in Iraq. That will boost the president's numbers, but do not expect to get to the stratospheric numbers that Mr. Bush got in the days after 9/11. Those days are gone. But he will get close to the magic number of 50%.
This is a 50-50 nation but definitely trending Republican.
Have you seen a major Republican switching to the Democrats? No, but it is still happening every day that Democrats are switching to the Republican party.
The ideas are on the right, not the left.
The Democrats are going to have to find a group of candidates that can appeal to some of the red states and so far, the congressional recruitment
has not been that great.
Also, as noted in an earlier post, a candidate in a special election in solidly Republican San Diego county could not win outright and will not win come the election in June.
That is one thing, but the fact that the Democrats are basically counting
on bad news to win back congress shows they have no plan. They do not offer something that is not out of the class warfare playbook or the lets give in to the terrorist playbook.
In the end, despite this very bad series of polls and the general pessimism of America, things will change and that will help the Republicans in November.

No Win For The Democrats

Even though the numbers do not look good for the president and the Republican congress, last weeks election results in the California 50th is good news for the Republicans and it looks like, despite the constant
shooting themselves in the foot, they should keep congress.
The Democratic nominee could only muster 44%. That was first place but the Republican field was 14. Brian Bilbray won that showdown and will win this seat.
He is a former congressman from the San Diego area and so I think he will get the 55% that makes this a safe Republican win.
Now, I am reading Hugh Hewitt's book, Painting The Map Red and it is offering the advise that will be a winner for Republicans. Here is the way that Hugh puts it and if Bilbray runs on this platform, he may well win more than 55%:
1) Win the war
2) Confirm the judges
3) Cut the taxes
4) Control the spending
It is simple and I think a winning formula.
The bottom line, the Democrats probably should have won this race outright given the supposed high negatives for the GOP. They did not and they should not win in November.

Wackjobs Cannot Have Nukes

It is a simple statement, but it is also fact.
Wackjob nations can not have nuclear capabilities and or nuclear weapons.
With the annoucement by the Iranian president yesterday that the first stage towards the goal of developing a nuclear bomb (and they are trying-do not be fooled), we the civilized and the not so civilized nations of the world must put a stop to it.
How we do it may be hard to acutally do, in terms of going to the impotent United Nations or to take unparalleled, almost alone military action.
One thing is clear, even the nations that have been helping Iran develop nuclear capabilities are now worried.
The mullahs in control in Iran have big plans and part of that includes the development of a nuclear bomb and the destruction of Israel. Once that is done, they will work on conquering their Arab neighbors and eventually Saudi Arabia and imposing their brand of Islam, Shia, on the region.
And do not think that Europe will not be on the radar.
They are now realizing that maybe it is not such a wonderful thing to have helped and began the process of Iran having nuclear capabilities.
Now is the time for the rest of the world to unify and take out these wackjobs and restore stability to that region. I think that this time, the Iranian people will welcome us a liberators and we will be able to stabilize and learn from any mistakes, other than former President Carter selling out the Shah.
It is now the Hour of Decsion and it is not time for coy politics for is these wackjobs do get the bomb, we will not be worrying too much about immigration debates.

Election Day Tomorrow

Tomorrow is election day in California.
There does not seem to be much talk about it.
It is a safe, Republican seat in San Diego county. But it can be a bellwether on two fronts.
If the Democrats were to win the seat outright, it would be horrible news for the Republicans nationwide and a sign that the Democrats may infact not just take one but both houses of congress come November.
The seat in question is former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham's seat. He is the Vietnam war hero fighter pilot turned crooked congressman.
The fact that he seemingly openly took millions of dollars in bribes does, regrettably, play right into the Democrats hands about corruption and to throw the Republicans out. As if in 40 years when the Democrats were in control, nothing of a corruptible sort occurred!
But the real issue among the many Republicans running for this seat is illegal immigration.
And that may not be any better sign for the Republicans.
In any other off year election, the front runner former state senator William Morrow would win easily. But he may not be tough enough on the illegal immigration issue.
There are others and many are coalescing behind Howard Kaloogian. If he has a strong showing or infact goes into the second round, the Republicans will win, but win the seat ugly. Much more than with the seasoned pro that Bill Morrow is.
First, there will be a second round in this election.
Second, the Democrat will not win no matter who wins the first round on the Republican side.
Third, this better be where the Republican party shows its moxie. It has to win this seat. A loss here means that Democrats will win both houses and cause enormous grief in the last two years of the Bush presidency.
To bring back a phrase made famous in the 80s, it is time to win one for the Gipper!

Punish The EMPLOYERS!!!

In this never ending immigration debate, one thing that seems to be a real divide, especially among Republicans is whether or not employers who knowingly hire illegal aliens should be punished for it
Count me in the punish the employers bloc!
I almost always side with business because, like it or not, it is what drives America and makes it the leading economy in the world. It is why, among the Western industrialized nations we have the lowest unemployment as the president noted today. Also, the lowest tax burden and, most importantly, the highest upward mobility in the world.
But, it is this nagging issue of illegal aliens and so-called "guest workers" and "temporary employees" that does a lot to undermine the economy as a whole.
While the employer, and that includes the big business company, the mom-and-pop business and the people who hire day laborers, hires these people, by keeping them here under the current system, they undermine the long term growth and ability to have American citizens to enjoy the fruits of this growing economy.
While these illegals are here, if they get hurt on their job, the employer does not offer health insurance. Where do these people end up? At over burdenend and understaffed emergency rooms at the local hospital.
How about educating the children of these illegal aliens? The tax payer, which in California is the property owner. Hence, because we have essentially a two-tired system of haves and have nots, public education is not able to keep up and all students suffer.
What about when these illegal aliens break the law. We have to put them somewhere. So they end up in the jail system, and thus another burden on the taxpayer.
Also, do not think for a moment that because of their status that illegal aliens are not payed by and large under the table, thus off payrolls and then NOT paying taxes as proponents of "guest worker" programs claim.
These people do not live in the real world, or Southern California.
For the most part, these people and companies do not want things to change. A guest worker program would actually give those coming here to work the same employee rights as American citizens.
Thus, when Pedro says, when do I get my ten minute break, not the boss can say shut up and get to work. Under guest worker, Pedro would get a break.
But now, for guest worker to work, employers of all kinds who do not abide by the law should be punished. Not just fined but those knowingly breaking the law arrested, tried and convicted. Nothing like seeing a greedy CEO doing a "perp walk" to show that the US means business.
In reality, President Bush is right that a guest worker program is good and humane compared to the current "system." But, without strong enforcement, it will be a joke and a bad one at that.
For the plan to work, Mr Bush and those in favor of guest worker must find the way to make enforcement of the law top priority. If not, then there is no immigration reform and we will have been given a kick in the teeth by the so-called politicians that work for us.

The Immigration Bill Should Just Die

I think that it is time that the so-called immigration bill of 2006 should just die now. The senate version is unworkable in regard to the so-called "guest workers" and the house version goes just a bit too far in changing illegal immigration from a misdemenor to a felony.
So, what to do?
For one thing, I think that President Bush needs to stop emphasizing the "guest worker" aspect of immigration reform and talk up the security angle. Building a strong, real fence along the US-Mexican boarder is not a bad thing. Changing the way one who comes to this country illegally from a misdemenor to a felony is bad. Inceasing the Border Patrol and giving them the tools to enforce the law is good. "Catch and Release" is bad. Deportation is good.
If the president really believes that a "guest worker" program and eventual path to citizenship are good things, which is good in the long run, he must talk what I mentioned above first and foremost so as to convince the majority of the voting public that he is serious about border control and enforcement.
Also, Mr. Bush must take the lead if there is a bill to be passed this year.
Personally, I would like to see those who have been in the US longer than ten years get a pathway to citizenship. These are people who have real ties to the US and would under the right circumstances be proud American citizens. Those here less than ten years can be sent on the green "La Migra" buses right back to the border and never be given a chance to reenter.
Mr. President, to get the more "compassionate" side of immigration reform, you must make clear to the American and Mexican people that coming here illegally is not rewarded and is something that, in time of war that we are in against terrorism and terrorists, a serious matter that will be dealt with reponsibly and with compassion that the US has always shown.
The wall now, guest worker and pathway to citizenship later.