Having A Life

Yes, it has been almost a week since I last posted.
I did not realize it until this evening.
But, this has been one of those weeks where life kind of gets in the way of being able to blog.
As it is the weekend, there is a lot more time and believe me, I have a lot to write about.
I leave you with this depressing news.
This should be proof that there is no such animal as a "conservative"-he! he!-Democrat. An even worse oxymoron is that these "conservative" Democrats are, more he! he!, fiscal conservatives.
More tomorrow!

Taxing Plastic Surgery

The following headline on the Drudge Report:

DON'T GO THERE: DEMS EYE 10% TAX ON BOTOX, COSMETIC SURGERY

Enough said!

Sorry to scare you folks with Queen nancy!

Congressional Quarterly Gives Dems Three More House Seats In 2010

I love the early analysis of the House of Representative races that are now popping up.
Looking at this one from the Congressional Quarterly, not only does it come up with the Democrats keeping control of the House, but possibly gaining three more seats.
I would like to know what they are smoking and or drinking.
Of course they may end up right and people will think that the Democrats deserve to maintain their role as controlling the House. And, we are all enjoying the Hillary Clinton administration. Or is it the Rudy Giuliani administration?
You see, this is what is crazy about trying to figure these kind of things more than 13 months before the mid term elections.
One thing that this analysis does not take into account is that next year is the census. And the result of the census can easily give some states more seats and inevitably some less seats.
What the analysis is not taking into account is the overall mood of the voters.
When there is one party running the show as the Democrats do now, there is a natural push back. Only in 2002, as a result of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the war in Afghanistan did the Republicans actually gain seats in both the House and Senate.
But if the economy is not vastly improved, and or a sense that the president and the Democrats do not have a handle on foreign affairs or the perfect storm of both, there is no question that voters will punish the party in control of congress.
Oh, another thing is that the Democrats are in trouble at the state level. More than likely, the Dems will lose the governorship in New Jersey and Virginia. And quite possibly in New Jersey by a huge number.
That could be a disaster for the national Democrats and directly affect congressional elections.
And, another thing not figured is that Republicans are doing a much better job at recruiting candidates to run at the congressional level.
Finally, the Republican voter will be much more fired up in November, 2010 than Democrats. If the GOP does indeed win the two contested governor's races this year, they will have a big mo' going their way.
It is amusing analysis, but way too early to make the assumption that the Democrats will keep their House majority.
Come back in November, 2010 with that analysis, Congressional Quarterly.

Birthers, Give It Up

OK, I have to admit I did not think that the allegations of President Obama not being born in the United States would have legs.
Yet, strangely it has gained almost respectability now and in the Dog Days of Summer, people are talking about it.
Why?
Once again, I will write this.
BARACK H. OBAMA, JR. WAS BORN IN HONOLULU, HI, AUGUST 4, 1961!
Really, please explain how it was possible for Daddy Obama to fabricate his son's birth in the United States? What, did hospitals in Honolulu in the early 1960s just issue live birth certificates willy nilly? Were all in a conspiracy because they all knew that Barack H. Obama, Jr. would be president of the United States someday? How was the conspiracy cooked up?
I read the book, "Obamanation" by Dr. Jerome Corsi. I would hasten to write that the one aspect of the book that bothered me was that Dr. Corsi was hyping the theory that President Obama was in fact born in Kenya. While there was a lot interesting in that book, the birther theory was the least interesting. And, most convoluted.
And folks, does any one that does not support President Obama's policies not think the failures are good enough? The fact that he is trying to ram through so-called health care "reform" should be a lot of reason to conclude that these could have been the best six months of President Obama's term.
Please, please, please, repeat after me.
President Obama was born in the United States, is a natural born American and whether I like how the election turned out, is rightfully president of the United States.
Until January 20, 2013, God willing!

Juan Williams Explains All

In watching Fox News Sunday, regular panelist Juan Williams, no right winger, explains the Henry Gates, Jr. saga and President Obama's role in blowing it out of proportion.
If you choose, you can endure time with the Obama press flak, Booby Gibbs. Yea, I meant Booby! But, if you want, speed it up to the panel segment. It is the first subject of conversation.
Bottom line.
President Obama should have had a better week than he did. Had he not filibustered another news conference and stuck to the so-called health care "reform", no one would be having this conversation about race relations.
Because President Obama stuck his nose in it: remember the line, "I don't know all the facts."? Anyhow, because President Obama could not resist slamming a whole police department, his attempt at selling the so-called health care "reform" snake oil went right down the toilet. And, all the Sunday talking heads were talking about this Gatesaquidick fiasco. And the so-called health care "reform" snake oil? Second banana.
The post-racial president should watch Juan Williams explain it all and that Mr. Gates, so-called scholar, was way in the wrong. I think that Mr. Gates did not know who he was messing with.

President Obama The Liar

UPDATED & BUMPED:
Gosh, you know, President Obama could have avoided all of this:

Obama says regrets remark...Calls white policeman who arrested scholar...
WHITE HOUSE CLAIMS POLITICS: POLICE ENDORSED MCCAIN...THE TAPES:
911, police audio key in Cambridge case; Officials mull release of recorded evidence...
Cop Not Ruling Out Defamation Lawsuit Against Professor...
Obama 'Regrets' The 'Obsession' Over His Comments...
BLACK POLICEMAN: I WAS THERE, GATES ACTED STRANGELY, SUPPORTS ARREST '100%'...

had he just followed what I suggested:

I don't know all the facts.

HT: Drudge Report @ www.drudgereport.com

It is amazing that the Barack Obama Travelling Snake Oil Show found time in last night's press conference to answer a question that was about race relations and the police in, of all places, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
But, our president cut off a reporter actually asking a tough question on health care to answer a soft-ball from Lynn Sweet of his hometown Chicago Sun-Times.
Here is the exchange:

QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. President. Recently, Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., was arrested at his home in Cambridge. What does that incident say to you and what does it say about race relations in America?
OBAMA: Well, I should say at the outset that Skip Gates is a friend, so I may be a little biased here. I don't know all the facts.What's been reported though is that the guy forgot his keys, jimmied his way to get into the house. There was a report called in to the police station that there might be a burglary taking place. So far, so good, right? I mean, if I was trying to jigger into -- well, I guess this is my house now, so...
(LAUGHTER)
... it probably wouldn't happen. But let's say my old house in Chicago.
(LAUGHTER)
Here, I'd get shot.
(LAUGHTER)
But so far, so good. They're -- they're reporting. The police are doing what they should. There's a call. They go investigate what happens.
My understanding is, at that point, Professor Gates is already in his house. The police officer comes in. I'm sure there's some exchange of words. But my understanding is, is that Professor Gates then shows his I.D. to show that this is his house and, at that point, he gets arrested for disorderly conduct, charges which are later dropped.
Now, I don't know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts, what role race played in that. But I think it's fair to say, number one, any of us would be pretty angry; number two, that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home; and, number three, what I think we know separate and apart from this incident is that there's a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately. That's just a fact.
As you know, Lynn, when I was in the state legislature in Illinois, we worked on a racial profiling bill because there was indisputable evidence that blacks and Hispanics were being stopped disproportionately. And that is a sign, an example of how, you know, race remains a factor in the society.
That doesn't lessen the incredible progress that has been made. I am standing here as testimony to the progress that's been made. And yet the fact of the matter is, is that, you know, this still haunts us.
And even when there are honest misunderstandings, the fact that blacks and Hispanics are picked up more frequently and often time for no cause casts suspicion even when there is good cause.
And that's why I think the more that we're working with local law enforcement to improve policing techniques so that we're eliminating potential bias, the safer everybody is going to be. All right? Thank you, everybody.

Firstly, President Obama himself admitted that he did not know all of the facts. Here are his words:

I don't know all the facts.

With that, President Obama should have stopped right there and the press conference should have ended. I mean, it was all about the snake oil, er health "reform" that he is trying to ram through congress.
But no, the president dived right in to offer his opinion. And that is all it is because he said at the onset that he did not know all the facts. It may have been to his own interest to have maybe read the police report and that might have at the very least made him think before answering the question.
Ahh, but the president did not really want to know the facts. After all, is it not interesting how he grudgingly let the reporter, Steve Koft of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, ask his question on the Mayo Clinic blasting his health "reform" scheme. After another filibuster, President Obama made sure that Miss Sweet got her question in.
President Obama ran as the post-racial guy. No black or white, red or blue, gay or straight, conservative or liberal, yada, yada, yada. But last night, he threw all of that under the long bus. He made sure to slam the police that were answering a breaking and entry call. The police wanted to know if the person in the house was supposed to be there. But no, President Obama went on the tired old left-wing rant about how police stop Blacks and Hispanics in disproportionate numbers. And by suggesting that the police arresting the man, so-called Harvard scholar, Henry Gates, Jr. was stupid-again President Obama admitted that he did not have all of the facts-shows that he wanted to use the question to plant seeds of discontent among the said groups.
President Obama lied when he claimed he was different. He is not. He is a typical left-wing politician that uses any incident like this to slam the police. I mean, after all he spent a lot of the presser accusing doctors of performing unnecessary tonsillectomies.
If President Obama were honest, he would not have answered the question or let it be asked in the first place. But, President Obama was caught in a big lie. The lie of being the post-racial president.

We Need To Straighten Out Them There Racist Yankees!

I share the concern that Smitty over at The Other McCain has about the Bull Conner of Cambridge, Massachusetts, Sgt. James Crowley. I feel the pain of the so-called Harvard scholar, Henry Gates, Jr.
I mean, how terrible that a black man in Cambridge should be treated in such a way has Mr. Gates was by Bull Conner Crowley!
Yes, I do think that people from the South need to speed up to Cambridge, post haste, to straighten these racists out. Especially them there coppers!
Oh, but I forget, some people in the Commonwealth may be racists.
After all, it was many an Irishmen in South Boston that did not want their children bussed from their neighborhood to-DA HORROR!-Black schools. And vice-versa.
Do you forget the forced busing of the 1970s? Oh, I am certain that many would like to forget. But I do remember. The same Irish that keep voting for Ted Kennedy to remain in the senate did not want the Blackies coming into their domain. And they sure as hell did not want their children going in to the Black neighborhoods.
Come on! Wasn't all that racism in the South only? I mean, the northern liberal elite would not stand for it in such a place like Boston. But, they did.
So, they need help once again because this Bull Conner wannabe, Crowley, just wanted to keep a successful Black man down. I mean, this same guy, Crowley, just teaches a class to fellow officers on, heh! heh!-racial profiling!
So, I offer any assistance that I can to those eeeevvviiiiiillllll racists in Cambridge, Massachusetts. You need help in your racism. You need to be cleansed.

The Smoke And Mirrors California Budget Deal

Finally, the state of California is on the road to a budget and the embarrassing IOUs will be a thing of the past.
But, it really is a kind of smoke-and-mirrors budget that does not one thing to address the fundamental problems of excessive state government and how the state raises revenues.
In fact, there may be a poison pen part of this deal that Republicans say they will not go for and that is the early release of up to 27,000 state prisoners and a commission that would address sentencing guidelines.
That potential road block aside, the fact is that the so-called education budget "cuts" will be restored when the economy improves. And, that means the legislature will pursue increases in education spending beyond the restoration of the so-called cuts.
And there is the usual budget gimmickry that continues to keep California in real budget deficit.
Again, not one single program was eliminated. Not one state employee position was eliminated.
And, a cut that is not a cut is not a cut. It is simply not increasing spending on any particular program.
Until the leaders of California, Democrats and Republicans, conservatives and liberals, get a clue and institute serious budget and tax reform, all this "deal" does is the usual. It kicks the can down the road for some one else to deal with.
If a citizen of California wants to light a fire under the state legislature, a visit to ReformCal would be a good start. Download the petition and get more to sign. Making those most responsible for the mess have to be accountable to all the voters and citizens of California is a start.
Until then, another California budget "deal" will eventually be exposed as the scam that it really is.

Al Gore's Hometown Record LOW For July

Heh! Heh! Heh!
Globaloney Warming alarmist-in-chief Al Gore needs to explain to us how if we are in the midst of this unquestionable catastrophe how his hometown, Nashville, Tennessee had the lowest low in July since Rutherford B. Hayes was president. In case you forget, Mr. Hayes was president way back in 1877. That was a cool 132 years ago.
Explain it, Al. Explain it.
Do we have to endure a little cold snap before the whole world is as hot as Death Valley, California? BTW, as of this post the temperature in Death Valley is a balmy 115 degrees. And it is summer after all. So, 115 degrees in Death Valley is not exactly unheard of.
But, the low in Nashville on July 21 of 59 degrees, that is unheard of.
Think about the alarmism spouted by such Globaloney Warming believers as Al Gore, et al. They are trying to ram questionable science in an attempt to assault the free enterprise system. People like Mr. Gore really do not like the system that has made the United States the greatest power in the history of the world. And has produced unrivaled wealth and a strong middle class.
That is the thrust behind the Globaloney Warming alarmists.
They do not let facts such as cooling temperatures around the world get in the way of their narrative.
Even when it is the coldest July 21st in Nashville in 132 years.

HT: Drudge Report @ www.drudgereport.com

California Part-Time Legislature Campaign Heats Up

In a post a while back, I advocated that the voters of this once Golden State need to take our state back and make our state legislature a part-time one. As it was before 1966 when the political class pulled the wool over the California voter's eyes.
Well, I am not a lonely voice in the wilderness.
This column by a gentleman named Tony Fellow in a recent edition of the Pasadena Star-News advocates a return to a part-time legislature. Some of the points Mr. Fellow makes are very, very important. Here are a few:

1)Special interests also were to have less of a hold on lawmakers with a full-time legislature.

2)Today more than 1,000 lobbyists work the halls of the state Capitol.

3)California's part-time legislature came to an end in 1966 when voters decided that a full-time body would create a more professional organization and reduce the influence of special interests. On the contrary, the number of staff members and bills soared.

The last one is what is so important to note. A so-called professional organization that the voters were promised in 1966 has been nothing but a den of inequity with special interests of all sorts running the halls of power.
Mr. Fellow makes a comparison to the legislature in Nebraska as a point of reference. I do not necessarily like that, but at least there is a place to start.
While Mr. Fellow makes a case for the return of a part-time state legislature, there is now a group that wants to do something about it.
ReformCal.com is up and running and has a petition on their website that wants to amend the California constitution to return to a part-time state legislature. The thrust is that the state legislature can meet for the following time frame:

1)30 calendar days in January.

2)30 days in the months of May and June.

3)5 optional days to consider legislation vetoed by the governor.

On the ReformCal website is the petition that every California voter needs to get and get signed ASAP. The group needs roughly about 700,000 signatures and it should qualify for the June, 2010 ballot.
Oh, the legislature and the special interests that suck at the tit of power will go insane trying to defeat this overdue change to the way California does business. They will make you believe that without these dweebs in power all year long, why California may become like a third-world country. Oops! We already are in some parts of the state. Why, without these geniuses that have "institutional" power-re: reelected year, after year, after year, people will not know what to do. And, how, how can the sixth largest economy in the whole world be only governed 90 days a year?
Easy and with no problems. Even states such as Florida, Texas, both growing economic powerhouses, are governed by part-time legislatures.
What is needed is real world people finally in control of the legislative process.
A few questions. How many doctors are in the California state legislature? Businessmen/women? Farmers? Ranchers? Policemen/women? Firemen/women? Take a look and one will find few, if any, of the groups mentioned represented in the California state legislature. But, lawyers are the overwhelming majority of those in both the state assembly and senate in California. And that means we have totally moved away from what the Founding Fathers and the progressives in California wanted. Citizen involvement in government.
That is why we need to get the state legislature back to a part-time one. Where a regular person can run, maybe win, and have a real say in what passes for legislation in this state.
The lonely voice in the wilderness is no more. Time for the rest of California to take a stand for a part-time legislature.

Please Let 2010 Be The Year To Retire Ma'am Barbara Boxer

God love Ma'am Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Cal.) .
I mean, she is one of the most left-wing members of the United States senate. Not that there is anything wrong with that. But what makes Ma'am Sen. Boxer, well, hmm, I guess interesting is that she is a walking caricature and stereotype of the liberal mind.
Take this encounter with Henry Alford of the National Black Chamber of Commerce.
The background is that this is a hearing on Ma'am Sen. Boxer's favorite subject after being for unfettered access to abortion for all women. Globaloney Warming.
Mr. Alford is one of those deniers. You know, that there is strictly man-made Globaloney Warming. That the so-called green agenda is leading to way to the mythical green economy that will produce millions of jobs that advocates from President Obama on down keep carping about.
Well, how dare Mr. Alford, a Black man, be against the green agenda. How dare Mr. Alford, a Black man, be against the crap and trade legislation that Ma'am Sen. Boxer advocates. How dare he!
So, Ma'am Sen. Boxer proceeds to inform Mr. Alford and those in the hearing room that she is entering a Pew Research study that backs her claims about the so-called green economy. No problem. Maybe full of crap, but it is her prerogative. Then, Ma'am Sen. Boxer proceeds to inform all that she is entering a statement of support from the NAACP and the leader of a group called the 100 Black Men of Atlanta that seems to support the pending crap and trade legislation.
Mr. Alford could see that there is a pattern and could take no more. He proceeds to tell Ma'am Sen. Boxer that she is condescending. That why is she going out of her way to mention two Black organizations to back her position?
Oh oh!
Then Ma'am Sen. Boxer is taken aback. She says that she is citing the two groups as proof that there is-get this-a diversity of opinion on the subject. How rich! This coming from a leader of those that believe there is no diversity. That Globaloney Warming is so real that crap and trade needs to happen yesterday. Ma'am Sen. Boxer is trying to shame Mr. Alford that if these two leading Black organizations support her position, why can't Mr. Alford and his group.
Mr. Alford does not back down. As Ma'am Sen. Boxer proceeds to defend herself, Mr. Alford keeps asking her to cites others. That she does not need to specifically cite known liberal, left Black groups like the NAACP. Then, Mr. Alford says that as an African-American, and a veteran he is insulted, Ma'am Sen. Boxer says that her husband is a veteran and she does not see what that has to do with anything.
You see, Ma'am Sen. Boxer lacks the self-awareness to grasp that not every Black American thinks the same way on any given issue. Had Ma'am Sen. Boxer gotten that, she would have realized that she was condescending and should have apologized. Let me help her, Ma'am. Diversity means that there are people like Mr. Alford. He heads a business group that does not think the crap and trade legislation is good for American business. And that it will hurt Black Americans more than others. Mr. Alford may not have the majority Black opinion on the subject, but who knows if the NAACP does either?
But talk about the Plantation mentality!
That was what was on display with Ma'am Sen. Boxer. Watch the whole You Tube clip. Ma'am Sen. Boxer is right out of the box hostile to Mr. Alford. And it never lets up. No wonder Mr. Alford later said that Ma'am Sen. Boxer was treating him like a jiggaboo.
Now, the rest of the United States sees what many of us see time and time again with Ma'am Sen. Boxer.
I noted that her claim to be a senator, the job that she worked so hard for, is that she is pro-abortion. Oh, she will use the euphemism "pro-choice" but make no mistake about it. She is pro-abortion.
I hope and pray that either one of three Republicans can take out this dweeb of a senator in the 2010 election. The three are California assemblyman Chuck DeVore, former radio talk show host Larry Elder or former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina. Any one of these three is better than this embarrassment to this once great Golden State.

Walter Cronkite 1916-2009

Friday night, the United States and the world lost the last newsman of his kind as the legendary Walter Cronkite went off to the glory and signed off the last time.
Now, I grew up with Uncle Walter, as he was known to millions of Americans. I was still in high school when he signed off for the last time in 1981 with the signature "And that's the way it is." and with that came the end of an era.
While I will agree that Uncle Walter did put a stain on his credibility when he decided to inform Americans that the war in Vietnam was lost, Uncle Walter made a seamless transition from writing reporter to broadcast reporter to television anchorman.
Having a voice of authority helped bring credibility to the news business when he became the lead anchor of the CBS Evening News in 1962. He replaced a legend in his own right, Douglas Edwards. But, it was with Uncle Walter that the CBS Evening News went from a 15 minute broadcast to a half-hour broadcast.
But, what also happened and is still the case today is that the three network cartel, ABC, CBS and NBC believe that all the news is in a cocoon in Manhattan and all three seem to have the same stories with the same wording, just different people.
When Uncle Walter was forced to give up his anchor role in 1981, the news business was changing and the crack came from the upstart Cable News Network, CNN. Within a decade and a half, there would be the Fox News Channel, the internet and something called blogging.
The news was not hermetically sealed and released by men like Uncle Walter, David Brinkley, Chet Huntley or Howard K. Smith. There are now many sources of news and information. And those big three networks continue to not have a clue as to why they are going down in viewership.
One problem is that when one watches CNN or FNC, it is live. There is no tape-delay of the main news programs. Yet, the big three still depend on some authoritative voice to deliver three-hour old news to people on the West coast. We do not need to wait. We can go to CNN, FNC, MSNBC, or Headline News. And that, along with the media bias all three big networks have shown blatantly in recent years is what has made people look to other forms of news and information.
Which makes Uncle Walter the end of the era of that authoritative voice that could be trusted no matter what. Even when he all but sealed defeat in Southeast Asia and the Communist takeover of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.
I think that the news business on television really took a nosedive when Uncle Walter left the anchor desk. Now, there is maybe about 10 minutes of "news" and a lot of fluff. Something that Uncle Walter and those of his era would not have put up with.
Goodbye Walter Cronkite. And that's the way it is.

Off The Grid

As the folks in Alaska like to say, I have been off the grid a couple of days.
The leg/vein problem that I discussed in this post has been acting up due to the heat here on the Left Coast.
Although it is still very, very bothersome, I will be seeing a vascular specialist. Hopefully sometime this week.
It is defiantly testing my patience. I have very little when it comes to health issues.
But, after church today, I will be back pontificating on some of the issues of the day.

Susan Roesgen Gets A Pink Slip-HOORAY!

Another victim of the Obama economy is about to be had as CNN hack Susan Roesgen is about to join some of the 9.5% of Americans on the unemployment rolls.
Don't remember Miss Roesgen?
Well, take a look at this to rattle the ol cranium.
Yes, it is the same Susan Roesgen that somehow thought her job description included:

1) Inserting herself into the story.
2) Arguing with people at a legitimate protest.
3) Clear lack of any judgement.

I think that The Other McCain hits it right on the head in this post. And, as a journalist, rule number one is you, said journalist, are not part of the story. And, BTW, a great slam, comparing this no-talent hack to another no-talent hack, Eleanor Clift of Obamaweek and the McLaughlin Group (does anyone still watch that show?!).
The only reason Miss Roesgen should have been part of the story is if she was saving someone's life. Not interjecting her overwhelming bias to a man who was trying to explain to the dolt why he was participating in one of the Tea Parties this past Tax Day.
While Allahpundit thinks Miss Roesgen may end up OBAMAMSNBC, I hope that she never gets another job in journalism. EVAH! Susan Roesgen is a disgrace to good, real journalists everywhere.
Hey, Susan, don't let the door slam your rear end too hard as CNN tosses you out!

Where The Heck Is Cominskey Field?!

Leave it to our Dear Leader, President Obama!
Without the handy, dandy teleprompter for guidance, President Obama shows that he has no idea what he is talking about.
Last night, the Dear Leader inserted himself in the midsummer classic, the major league baseball All-Star game. Yes, the Dear Leader attempted to throw out a ceremonial first pitch. It appears that he threw a wiffle ball that did not even make home plate.
But it is these comments that make me suspicious he really is a baseball fan.
The president, Dear Leader referred to the home of his beloved Chicago White Sox as. . .Cominskey Field.
Cominskey Field?! Where the heck is that? I guess the Dear Leader meant Comiskey Park, the ol' stomping grounds of the Pale Hose. Well, Comiskey Park has been long gone since the early 1990s. It was replaced by what is now called US Celluar Field.
It reminds me of another well known sports fan. That being Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) in his now infamous renaming of Lambeau Field, home of the mighty Green Bay Packers. Ol' Sen. Kerry referred to it as Lambert Field. Oh yes, Sen. Kerry lost Brown county, home of the Pack, badly in 2004.
It is funny how these so-called Democrat sports fans rarely know what they are talking about. Kind of like their policies.

Guess What? Legal Dope In Cali Would Only Rake In $1,400,000,000 In New Taxes!

A California state assembly member has had this notion that if the state taxed marijuana, which is still illegal in the United States, it would go a long way to alleviating the ballooning $28,000,000,000 deficit.
But, Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco-of course!) may have to put down the bong and realize that the tax boon he promises, well it is kind of all smoke.
It appears that a rip-roaring $1,400,000,000 would be raised in taxes if the dopey assemblyman's legislation ever saw the light of day.
This is according to the state Board of Equalization, the tax board.
So, if marijuana, still illegal in the United States, was taxed in California, that would still leave about a deficit of $26,600,000,000.
And, what about the possibility that people will not consume the herbolic refreshment if it is sold like cigarettes or liquor? Does that not affect the tax rate potential? And, how can anything be certain about the alleged financial benefit to California? There are no real accurate numbers of potheads because, IT IS STILL ILLEGAL in the United States. And yes, even here in California.
People like Assemblyman Ammiano are just like the junkies he represents. If we just get this one more tax, we won't have to make draconian cuts in state services. If we can find another revenue source, we can fully fund all these state services and programs. But, the junkies like our esteemed assemblyman never want to c u t the size and scope of state government. Because they are addicted to taxes. And to be able to go to their constituents and tout a pointless government program. That is the high these guys and gals get.
Again, I think that Assemblyman Ammino needs to put down his bong, scrap this meaningless legislation and work on a real long term solution to the California budget debacle. And I think that Assemblyman Ammino should read Sacramento Bee columnist Dan Walters and what may happen, and what has already happened to the once Golden State. I leave you with this:

We desperately need to straighten out our laughingstock government, balance the state budget and demonstrate to the rest of the world that we're still in the game. The alternative is economic and social decay.

Gay Bishops A-OK In The Episcopal Church

In another baffling move by the leadership of the Episcopal Church, the current moratorium on non-celibate homosexuals not being ordained into ministry and or bishoprics is now no more.
In some fairness, homosexuals have been ordained as priests for years. But, the unwritten agreement was that they be celibate. But, with the consecration of New Hampshire Bishop Vicky Gene Robinson in 2003, this changed everything.
Bishop Robinson is not only openly gay, but lives with another man and makes no bones and or apologies for it. Oh, FTR, Vicky is really Bishop Robinson's first name. Strange, isn't it? Because of that and a whole host of actions by the modernist wing of the church, this battle has been a long time coming.
And now, the modernists have a huge victory. And, at most likely a very steep price.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, himself pleaded with delegates to the current General Convention taking place in Anaheim, California not to take this vote. Archbishop Williams said this:

“I hope and pray that there won’t be decisions in the coming days that will push us further apart.”

Insert the laugh track here.
The smugness of the modernists can not be derailed. They are the arbiters of the new truth that is sweeping the Episcopal Church. Never mind that members are leaving in droves. And not all fall easily into the traditionalist or modernist camp. Many are just tired of the fighting and want to focus on being at a church and not some endless protest rally for the cause du jour.
Read how out of touch the Bishop of Los Angeles, my bishop, Jon Bruno is with this comment:

"Being an Episcopalian means you can disagree and still worship together. We're going to leave the door open for all those who disagree with us to find a place here and peace here."

UGH! Bishop Bruno, are you serious?! Ask the clergy and leaders of St. James, Newport Beach. St. David's North Hollywood. All Saints, Long Beach. And a new one in the hit parade of parishes in the Los Angeles diocese to leave, St. Luke's of the Mountains in La Crescenta. These churches could not take your arrogance and falsehoods any longer and left. But, Bishop Bruno, you made damn sure they did not take the buildings and land with them. OOOOHHH!!!! So, you spent precious diocesan money to bite off your nose to spite your face.
Sorry for the tangent. It is off point, but you get the idea.
The reality is that the modernist really thinks that us traditionalists are relics. Great for the memories, but have no idea about the modern world and all the complications. We get no credit because they really do not take the time to understand where we come from. What we want. How both traditionalist and modernist can minister to people who are gay and lesbian. If they did take the time, they would realize that many traditionalists are not anti-gay. We just look at Scripture, Tradition and Reason and come to realize that same-sex marriage does not make sense in a Christian context. For me, I do not have a problem with a gay or lesbian pastor in my church. But, I would want them to be upheld as any one else not married. Celibate. Is that unrealistic? With an Almighty God, nothing is unrealistic.
The Anglican Church, and later in the United States, the Protestant Episcopal Church, was born not just because King Henry wanted a divorce. Yes, it was a catalyst. But there were serious and real disputes with the Roman Catholic Church over doctrine. But what is happening here is something that goes beyond a doctrinal dispute. It goes against the majority in what we call the Anglican Communion. Sure, when one looks at the representation in these General Conventions, it looks like the whole Church is modernist. But, there are large swaths that are not. Some have just had enough and left. Others, like myself, stay to witness to those that may be confused and even hurt by the comments and decisions that are supposedly made on behalf of the Church as a whole.
Yes, the modernist wing has scored a touchdown. But, there is always another game. And, what the modernists may find is that these actions will make them not part of the next game.

Why Does The Episcopal Crisis Matters

I have been commenting a bit on the current General Convention of the Episcopal Church and this post is why all of this matters.
The Church is in a very, very serious crisis.
While the Church puts on a happy face and tries to reconstitute some renegade dioceses, Fort Worth and San Joaquin come to mind, make no mistake, the modernist view is just not catching on with the masses.
According to the American Anglican Council, Episcopal Church attendance, pledging and the like has seen a steady decrease. A chart in the latest issue of Equipping The Saints shows that from 1996, the Church had roughly 2,375,000 baptized members. By 2007, that number went down to slightly over 2,100,000. In 2002, there were 7,305 parishes and missions. In 2007, that dropped to 7,055. Two hundred fifty churches and or missions no longer exist in the Episcopal Church. Most of that is individual churches and whole dioceses leaving the denomination. Average Sunday attendance Church-wide went from 846,640 in 2002 to 727,822 in 2007. Per parish and or mission, that went from 79 to 69 in a five-year period. And baptized members is a broad term because the Church claims that to be a member one must be a communicant, one that can partake of the Holy Communion. But, never fear.
The current leadership from bishops on down to the parish priest is allowing non-baptized people to take Holy Communion. Here is from Equipping The Saints:

† Communion for the unbaptized
 Communion for the unbaptized is becoming more common in TEC, despite the fact that the canons specifically cite the practice as impermissible. A 2004-2005 survey by a task force of the diocese of Northern California revealed that among the 48 dioceses who responded, half of them have parishes that permit Communion without baptism. Even if the 55 dioceses which did not respond did not allow communion without baptism, that would mean at least 23 percent (in all likelihood more) of TEC dioceses permit this uneconocal and unscriptural practice.


So, the number of actual baptized, full-communicant members of the Episcopal Church may be quite lower than 2,000,000.
Now, why would that be? Why have so many left the church?
Well, maybe it is the leadership, ordained and lay.
Take this comment from no less than the so-called presiding bishop herself, Katherine Jefferts Schori. It is in response to the biblical command said by Jesus himself. That no one comes to the Father but through me. Here is the so-called presiding bishop:

"My understanding of idolatry includes the assumption that I can know and comprehend the way in which God saves people who are not overtly Christian. I understand that Jesus is my savior, I understand that Jesus is the savior of the whole world. But I am unwilling to do more than speculate about how God saves those who don’t profess to be Christians. I look at the fruits of the life of someone like Mahatma Ghandi and the Dalai Lama and I see Christ-like features …"


Idolatry? Gee, since Jesus Christ is the Son of God, I think that it is our duty to share that good news with all that we can. I agree, I do not advocate beating anyone over the head with a Holy Bible, but in simply sharing what it means to be a Christian. No one is asking the Most Rev. Schori to make any speculations.
Now, that is just the pontifications of the presiding bishop, the spiritual guide of the Episcopal Church.

But here is Marcus Borg, the co-director for Spiritual Development at Trinity Cathedral in Portland, Oregon:

"I don’t think God cares if we are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and so forth. What matters is a deepening relationship with God."


So, Marcus. May I call you Marcus? What is the point of following Jesus Christ? Why not just be a Unitarian? The point of the Christian religion is that God sent Jesus Christ to bring us Eternal Life. And that he died for our sins and that we can be one with God through Jesus and the Holy Ghost. To dismiss the absolute and yes, fundamental meaning of our faith is to dismiss our life here on Earth.
But damn if the Most Rev. Schori does not keep digging herself deeper in unbelief.
In an interview with Episcopal Life in April, 2008, the Most Rev. Schori offered what she believed about the Resurrection:

"Asked about the literal story of Easter and the Resurrection, Jefferts Schori said, ‘I think Easter is most profoundly about meaning, not mechanism.’"


Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot???!!!
Without the mechanism-the physical Resurrection of Jesus from the grave, there is no meaning! If the disciples do not see the Risen Lord, then there is no meaning. Then it is all a fairy tale.
Ahh, but the Most Rev. Schori continues for remember, she is our spiritual guide.
On the subject of salvation, here is a winner from the Most Reverend:

"The question is always how can we get beyond our own narrow self-interest and see that our salvation lies in attending to the needs of other people."


Well, it is not a self-interest to give one's life to Jesus. Without that profession of faith, one has no real understanding of what God commands of us.
Sheesh!
I focus on the so-called presiding bishop because as I noted, she sets the example for the Church as a whole. By the Most Rev. Schori seemingly dismissing basic understandings of the faith, is there any wonder that people are leaving rather than becoming part of?
Now, this is a subject that even the most traditional Episcopalian avoids like the plague, but I will broach it.
One has to wonder if this is some kind of spiritual warfare from within Christendom? That revisionists have so penetrated such Mainline Protestant denominations as the Episcopal Church, Evangelical Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, United Church of Christ and have set back Christian teaching and ethics on it's head. It is as if these leaders want to destroy the Church rather than build up the Body of Christ. I can not explain why the so-called presiding bishop would say some of the things that she does. And people that are in leadership in a Christian denomination saying that it really does not matter to God how we get to Him.
This is why it matters. If there is any hope for the Church, those of us that stand for the best of Church tradition must stay and make a stand. Those that have left, I say God be with you and may you grow and bring more to Jesus Christ. But we have to stay and stand for what has made Anglicanism. Scripture, Tradition, Reason. We can not eliminate Scripture or Tradition and depend on reason. That is why it all matters and why we must stay and seek to bring those who seek to destroy back to the fold. And, we need to focus on the Great Commission said by Jesus Christ himself:


"Go ye therefore and teach (make disciples of) all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost." Matthew 28:19

Thoughts On The General Convention

I am sorry that this is taking longer to convey than I planned, but now I will share my thoughts about the 2009 General Convention of the Episcopal Church.
The triennial convention is being held deep in Red California in Anaheim this time around.
So, as I relayed in the earlier post, a family friend, Mrs. rightviewfromtheleftcoast and your humble blogger trekked to the convention site yesterday to participate in the Sunday service.
The preacher and celebrant was none other than the so-called Presiding Bishop, the Most Rev. Katherine Jefferts Schorri. Imagine a better looking Jane Hathaway, aka Nancy Culp, from the Beverly Hillbillies and there is the Most Rev. Schorri.
I was expecting a sermon of epic politically correct garbage. Much to my pleasant surprise, the sermon was rather bland and unremarkable. FTR, I can not remember it. And, that is probably a good thing. I will go under the assumption that because it was a gathering of the whole Episcopal Church, which includes many traditionalists that are not leaving any time soon, she was wise not to go off on some PC tangent.
To the credit of the organizers, the service started promptly at 10am and ended at 11:30am. And, there were many communion stations and at least 120 lay Eucharistic ministers, or LEMs assisting.
But, I have noticed a disturbing trend among many celebrants of Holy Communion of late.
Once the bread/wafer is broken and the celebrant lifts the bread/wafer and wine to heaven, the celebrant says the following:

The Gifts of God for the People of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for
you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith,
with thanksgiving.

But, our illustrious so-called presiding bishop simply said:

The Gifts of God for the People of God.

Now, call me old fashioned, but since we still are a nominal Christian denomination, I think that we should remember why we celebrate the Holy Communion. I kind of think that the trend makes us who worship in the Episcopal Church seem rather unitarian.
Anyhow, after the service the fun part was walking around the exhibit hall at all the booths of different groups mostly within the Episcopal Church.
Mrs. rightviewfromtheleftcoast made the comment that it reminded her of a county fair. I laughed and agreed. Too bad the Sham-Wow guy was not there. It would have added a whole different dimension to the hall!
And, when I comment that being at an event like this is what it must be like at a Democrat meeting, I was not disappointed!
There were the Anglicans for Animal Welfare. Innocuous named group. I even kind of agree with some of their stances on animal welfare. But, unfortunately for the most part, it was really animal rights with a slight Christian twist.
Oh, of course there are those that want the Church to follow the United Nations Millennial Development Goals, what ever the heck that is. But it is the United Nations, and I do not see the spiritual connection between meeting some UN goal and one's personal salvation. They were well represented.
Without a doubt, gay and lesbian Episcopalians had a nice, big booth. Integrity is the name of the group. They were all over the place. Oh, the there were those promoting an AIDS quilt. In and of itself, I have no problem with those memorializing those who have died from the ravages of AIDS. It is just the general feeling that if that was not one's cup of tea for whatever reason, you can be made to feel a twinge of guilt.
Lets see, oh yes, baby murder was celebrated.
A group that has the laughable name Pro Family and Pro Choice, Christians for Reproductive Rights, had a nice, big booth trying to somehow make a case that one can be pro family and for the killing of unborn babies. No matter the reason. Tragic thinking. And, there is no longer a group called Episcopalians For Life. It has gone with those who are leaving the Church in droves. It is now Anglicans For Life. And no, they were not represented.
But, it was not all political correctness run amok.
There were some of the groups from the seminaries. My favorites are Trinity and Nashotah House. Trinity is evangelical and Nashotah House is High Church.
And there were contingents from Cursillo and Faith Alive, both evangelical groups within the Church.
Deep in the bowels of the exhibit hall was the last bastion of overall sanity in an increasingly insane group called Episcopalians.
The American Anglican Council had their booth and two very nice ladies that I spoke with, took their info and told them to keep up the fight for traditionalism within the Episcopal Church. Mostly, they need to be there for those of us who want to engage with those that seem to have a different, worldly-centered vision of the Church.
Well, who knows what will happen at this General Convention. Maybe our so-called presiding bishop will pronounce that we will become Wiccans. Who knows. But it is always entertaining and in a strange way making my personal relationship with Jesus and God stronger and more pronounced.

President Obama An Anaheim Angels* Fan?

In this blog, I have long maintained that the Obama presidential campaign mantra of "Yes we can!" was not all that original.
Now, I take this with a little levity, but finally someone has noticed what I have maintained.
That President Obama stole it from the then California Angels and their battle cry for the miracle 1979 campaign, "Yes we can!"
In this article in the Orange County Register, former California Angel player Don Baylor said this:

"I think President Obama stole that from Angels fans," Baylor joked.

Of course it may not be true. Or could it? Have we ever seen Barack Obama at his "beloved" White Sox field? Hmm. Could it be that when he attended Occidental College here in Los Angeles that he took some trips into Orange County? Maybe got caught up in the "Yes we can!" hoopla? And, many a moon later, maybe he thought, "that sounds like a good one! Yes we can!".
We probably shall never find out the full story.
But hey, why not throw out a new conspiracy theory for the heck of it!

*The Angels are NEVER referred to as "The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim" on this blog. They are referred to as the last official name, the Anaheim Angels.

A Book Recommendation: Liberty and Tyranny

I finally got around to picking up a book that I have wanted to read for a long time now and I have just finished chapter three of Mark Levin's masterpiece, "Liberty and Tyranny".
It is an easy read and full of great insight from the man that Sean Hannity refers to as The Great One.
So far, it is the education of what it means to be a conservative. What is to be read, understood and cherished.
I will write more on this as I read "Liberty and Tyranny".

The 2009 Episcopal General Convention

Tomorrow a family friend, Mrs. rightviewfromtheleftcoast and your humble blogger will partake in the 2009 General Convention of the Episcopal Church.
We will attend the public celebration of Holy Communion. And after walk around taking in all the sights. And, I am certain that there will be some sights.
With traditionalist Episcopalians leaving in droves, there are fewer and fewer within the Church standing for traditional biblical understanding. That Jesus Christ is the reason we are Christians after all. And that being a follower of Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Light.
Do not worry. There are some that are still within, standing up.
There are delegations from Central Florida, Dallas, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin, South Carolina . There are others, but these are the leading diocese within the church that are willing to stand up for scripture, tradition, reason. That is the three legs of Anglicanism and at one time, the Episcopal Church. Today, sadly, we are left with reason and not much else.
Judging by the "legislation" proposed and or passed at this convention, it reads more like the Democrat party congressional agenda rather than a church that is driven to preach the Gospel, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to all nations.
A little aside.
The Episcopal Church is set up as a republican form of governance. There is a Presiding Bishop and two legislative houses. The House of Bishops, think of the senate. And there is the House of Deputies, think of the House of Representatives. And, one, or both Houses will propose binding or non-binding pieces of legislation. Some becomes official church policy.
Again, look at the "legislation" link. Little if any resembles a church. And that is why the Episcopal Church continues to hemorrhage.
Proclaiming the Gospel is not easy. It is hard. But, living so in the world as many of those that represent us Christian Episcopalians are doing is really hard. It means that it rejects a lot of what the Holy Bible teaches and says is truth.
Tomorrow will be interesting and there will be a full report from your humble, Christian Episcopal blogger.

A McCainiac Comes Clean

UPDATE:
Well, it appears that Team McCain hung Gov. Palin out to the dogs when she spoke about The One "Pallin' around with terrorists". The big lie is that Gov. Palin "went rogue". Really? Whoever wins the GOP nod in 2012, they better never, ever hire any of these scum who "worked" on the McCain campaign. Disgusting!

HT: Ace

During the Death March of a presidential campaign last year, this blogger was in a spirited debate with Right Wing Sparkle and her support for the eventual Republican presidential standard-bearer, Sen. John "F--- You" McCain.
Now, in this post, Right Wing Sparkle has seen the light and realizes that her support of the Arizona Solon was misguided.
I write this not to gloat. Because Right Wing Sparkle was with Sen. "F--- You" McCain from the beginning. She was not dragged kicking and screaming as your humble blogger.
Now, I will quibble with her believing that no one could beat then Sen. Messiah Barack. I believe that the candidate that wanted to take it right to Sen. Messiah Barack would have a better chance. But, we will agree to disagree.
We do agree that the only smart thing Sen. "F--- You" McCain did was have Gov. Sarah Palin as his vice-presidential candidate. Right Wing Sparkle points out that Sen. "F--- You" McCain did not defend or support her strongly against the onslaught of attacks slammed on Gov. Palin. And Sen. "F--- You" McCain's campaign staff are the biggest bunch of losers ever assembled. It is hard to believe that the McCain team could make former Sen. Bob Dole's campaign team from 1996 look good. But, these losers sure did. And in the process, these losers are so stupid that they have the nerve to blame Gov. Palin for Sen. "F--- You" McCain's loss. HELLO?! How about your candidate?
And the realization for Right Wing Sparkle may be Meghan McCain and her insipid rants against conservatives and conservative ideas and values. The fact is she is never contradicted by her old man. By that, there is a support for Miss McCain's comments by not refuting them. Any of them.
Sen. John "F--- You" McCain could not articulate conservative ideas because he abandoned them around 1990. That is when he was implicated in part of the Keating savings and loan scandal that nearly ended his political career. Until then, he was a solid conservative. But, almost getting caught and maybe getting prosecuted caused a change in the one-time solid conservative. He became a Washington insider. Sen. "F--- You" McCain got a permanent case of Washingtonitis. And that is a huge reason it hampered his campaign for president. Both in 2000 and 2008. He lost touch with the people of Arizona and by extension the United States.
Ronald Reagan did not lose touch with the American people. And, neither has Gov. Sarah Palin. They are but two people who realized that they were not as important as the ideas they represented.
An aside about how stupid the McCain campaign was is how public the team made their move to abandon Michigan. It was Gov. Palin that did not want to give up. She wanted to go back to do some more campaign appearances. Nothing says loser more than public acknowledging your campaign is giving up on a state.
I am glad that Right Wing Sparkle has come to realize the error of her ways. I welcome her revelation and the honesty of it. It shows that we all have the ability to sometimes not see the forest through the trees. And we sometimes get caught up in thinking that something will be different.
Right Wing Sparkle, you have guts to admit you were wrong!

The One Hand Does Not Know What The Other Is Saying

The following from the Drudge Report:


4:15 AM: OBAMA SAYS FUTURE DOES NOT BELONG TO THOSE WHO GATHER ARMIES OR PLANT MISSILES..

7:45 AM: Suspected US missiles hit militants...

Obama: 'Absolutely' no green light for Israel to attack Iran...

Biden: Israel has right to deal with nuclear Iran...

OK, now if this happened during the George W. Bush presidency, all in one day, what do you think the Dinosaur, Drive-By, Mainstream, Obama Worshiping Media would be writing about?
But, this is Barack Obama and the Brain Surgeon, Joe Biden.
Thank God that we have some smart guys in charge and on the same page!

Of Course, More On Sarah Palin

Leave it to Tony Blankley to write some real truth about the recent announcement by Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin of her impending resignation as governor.
Mr. Blankley starts off by a serious point.
That those of us who follow politics and or involved at any level do not waste time on political corpses. Meaning if what some of the pundit class is saying, that Gov. Palin is doomed for future office, then why five days after her announcement are we still talking about it?
And Mr. Blankley points out that Gov. Palin is very popular among rank and file Republicans. You know, the ones that actually vote in presidential primaries and or caucuses. Gov. Palin and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney are even in early polling for the 2012 race. And while not wildly popular with independent voters, many who may be conservatives but no longer Republicans, she has a lot of time to be able to connect with those voters.
Oh, and she does and will be the one politician outside of President Obama himself that can draw a crowd.
Take it from one who worked for both Ronald Reagan and Newt Gingrich. As Mr. Blankley points out that many of the pundit class wished that Mr. Reagan was more like George H. W. Bush, re: squish, moderate. Same for Mr. Gingrich. That he should have been more like his former boss, Bob Michel. Again, squish, moderate.
Yet, these two politicians that were often written off came back and led the GOP to victories in the 1980s and 1990s.
Same can be with Gov. Palin.
The fact is that she may be the one to bring back many conservatives that have left the Republican banner. If the latest Gallup poll about American political attitudes are correct, well Gov. Palin has a real shot at harnessing a real conservative coalition.
That is what scares the hell out of liberals, supporters of President Obama and so-called conservative pundits. That Gov. Palin will be more of a force outside the elected arena than serving out her term and running for reelection.
And, my view is that she should have done that.
But, we shall see if Gov. Palin does have some political savvy many people in the establishment of both political parties miss.
After all, Ronald Reagan and Newt Gingrich did just that.

More Thoughts On The Late Gloved One

UPDATED AND BUMPED:
Frank Girardot doubles-down in the Michael Jackson fiasco. He, rightfully, blasts congress for even considering Congressman Sheila Jackson-Lee. Because she is circulating an insipid congressional resolution honoring Michael Jackson. Good to see our Democrat-led congress is doing serious work.


Since my posting in support of Congressman Peter King (R-NY) and his comments on the late Michael Jackson drew a lot of commentary, I am back for more and not alone.
In today's local fishwrap, the Pasadena Star-News, columnist Frank Girardot hit the nail on the head. He, like many of us, does not understand the wall-to-wall coverage and adulation that the late Mr. Jackson has been receiving.
Some points Mr. Girardot makes are worth noting:

If there's any proof it probably lies in the multimillion-dollar settlements Jackson reached with purported victims. One of those claimed the singer molested him at age 7 and again at age 10.

Exactly.
I know that many will say that the late Mr. Jackson's lawyer's told him to settle. Or the time-warned "It's just people trying to make money off of Michael" crap.
If anyone, I mean anyone, even just accused me of doing what the late Mr. Jackson was accused of doing, I would never settle. I would want to meet my accuser or accusers in a court of law and prove my innocence. The fact that the late Mr. Jackson did not meet his accusers head on until he was charged with child molestation leaves more than enough room to take some of the accusations at face value.
Or here are several money paragraphs:

The boy's mother explained later how Jackson begged her to let him sleep with the boy, according to court documents and testimony at trial.
The star and the mom argued about it, but ultimately the boy's mom gave in and allowed her teen to spend nights in Jackson's bed.
After the mom relented, Jackson bought her a Cartier bracelet. Clearly, this was a man who thought he could hurt whomever he wanted and do what he wanted because he had the means to buy his way out of trouble.

OK, what man of the late Mr. Jackson's age, about 34 at the time, would be so hot to have a 13-year old boy sleep in his bed? And why would the late Mr. Jackson beg the child's mother to allow her son to sleep in the same bed as himself? And, why buy the mother a Cartier bracelet if he was not doing anything wrong?
And Mr. Girardot points out that while a Santa Barbara country jury did acquit the late Mr. Jackson of the charges, it was not because they thought he was totally innocent:

A member of the jury that ultimately acquitted Jackson said later he thought Jackson was a child molester. Another said Jackson should stop sleeping with kids.

But, the same jury did not think the prosecution made an airtight case. But, what case the prosecution did make had a long term effect on jurors. Had there been more concrete evidence, the late Mr. Jackson may have died in prison. Sorry Mr. Jackson fans, but that is the truth.
And here is the money paragraph:

If Jackson were any other 46-year- old man in that situation, he'd probably still be in prison fending off predators who take no mercy on pedophiles.

EXACTLY!
Yet, so many of the masses that are crying, coming from all corners of the United States and the world seem to want to ignore the obvious.
If this was Michael Jackson, construction worker in a middle-class neighborhood and carried on like he did, many of these same people would be screaming to throw the son-of-a-bitch in jail. Or worse. Come on, you know that you would.
But, a person of the late Mr. Jackson's talent went off the deep end. And, he played a very dangerous game with young boys. He is very fortunate he was not convicted of child molestation. And, in the end, the late Mr. Jackson may have pushed the drug combination over the edge and that maybe what led to his death.
But, for the fans to ignore the dark side of the late Mr. Jackson is worse than burying your heads in the sand. You are just as much an enabler as those that sucked him financially dry. The same people who did not get him real help that he clearly needed.
Many famous people have died and we have to look at the totality of their lives.
Former President Richard Nixon died. And the first thing that came out of anyone and everyone's mouth was that he was the only president to resign in disgrace. When former President Bill Clinton goes to the great beyond, it will be noted that he was only the second president to be impeached. Whether one liked one or even both leaders, their lives have to be looked at in the overall. Not rose colored glasses.
Michael Jackson fans. The memorial is over. You need to now look at his life in the overall, not just the music. You can not gloss over the dark side of this pop music icon. You should think about the fact that no one in his inner circle did anything to genuinely help this troubled man. You should think about those that used him for their own fame and or gain. And yes, celebrate the talent that he was. But now it is time to take off those rose colored glasses. Keep it real, MJ fans. Keep it real.

Some Of That "Smart Power" On Display

During the 2008 presidential campaign, the death march of a campaign, we heard a term bandied about the the Democrat contenders.
Smart Power.
Well, here are a couple of those Smart Power moments.
It appears that President Obama can not get straight who the president of Russia is. And who the prime minister is. And yet, it is A-OK that President Obama muffs up who the president of Russia is:

"I suspect when I speak to President..eh.. Prime Minister Putin."

FTR, the president of Russia is Dmitry Medvedev. The prime minister is Vladimir Putin.
Now I know that most people believe that Prime Minister Putin is the power behind the throne, so to speak. But to be so dense as to make a near boner of a statement like President Obama did shows that maybe his Smart Power is not all that it is cracked up to be.
Also, imagine if former President Bush had said that? Or if Sarah Palin was the vice-president and said something like that? Front page news.
Oh, speaking of vice-presidents, the gift that keeps on giving, Vice-President Joe Biden had this to say over the weekend to Clinton apparatchik George Stephanopolus:

STEPHANOPOULOS: While we've been here, some pretty grim job numbers back at home -- 9.5 percent unemployment in June, the worst numbers in 26 years.
How do you explain that? Because when the president and you all were selling the stimulus package, you predicted at the beginning that, if you get this package in place, unemployment will peak at about 8 percent. So, either you misread the economy, or the stimulus package is too slow and...
(CROSSTALK)
BIDEN: The truth is, we and everyone else misread the economy. The figures we worked off of in January were the consensus figures in most of the blue chip indexes out there. Everyone thought at that stage -- everyone -- the bulk of...
STEPHANOPOULOS: CBO would say a little bit higher.
(CROSSTALK)
BIDEN: A little bit, but they're all in the same range. No one was talking about that we would be moving towards -- we're worried about 10.5 percent, it will be 9.5 percent at this point.
STEPHANOPOULOS: But we're looking at 10 now, aren't we?
BIDEN: No. Well, look, we're much too high. We're at 9 -- what, 9.5 right now?
STEPHANOPOULOS: 9.5.
BIDEN: And so the truth is, there was a misreading of just how bad an economy we inherited.
Now, that doesn't -- I'm not laying -- it's now our responsibility.
So the second question becomes, did the economic package we put in place, including the Recovery Act, is it the right package given the circumstances we're in? And we believe it is the right package given the circumstances we're in.
We misread how bad the economy was, but we are now only about 120 days into the recovery package. The truth of the matter was, no one anticipated, no one expected that that recovery package would in fact be in a position at this point of having distributed the bulk of the money.

We misread how bad the economy was.
Vice-President Biden said that not once, twice, but three friggin times in the interview.
This is the man that is in charge of the so-called economic recovery? The man that did not even know the website address (www.recovery.gov) of the program he was put in charge of? Oh, and now he tells us that there was no way that the bulk of the money in the so-called economic "stimulus" plan would be distributed by now. But, remember the doom and gloom we were told by people like President Obama, Vice-President Biden and the rest of the motley crew of Democrat leaders? In fact, the president said that passing the so-called economic "stimulus" plan would prevent unemployment from reaching these heights.
Good Lord, imagine if we had those dumb Republicans running the circus in Washington?
Ah, you know, I can not stop at just a couple of Smart Power moments.
There is a third in the making.
And that would be the esteemed secretary of state, Hillary Clinton.
While Honduras is actually following the rule of law, something Mrs. Clinton seems to be very unfamiliar with, in removing a president, Manuel Zelaya, who do you think Mrs. Clinton is supporting?
Why, Mr. Zelaya, of course!
As noted when the crisis began in Honduras, Mr. Zelaya was trying to change the constitution to run for a second term. The current constitution bans it. And same constitution says a president can not do what Mr. Zelaya was trying to do. The change must come from congress. Too bad that the Honduran congress did not want to make the constitutional change. And it was backed by the supreme court. And by the current interim president, Roberto Micheletti, who is a member of Mr. Zelaya's Liberal party. The armed forces was acting on the order of the supreme court to remove Mr. Zelaya before he could carry out an illegal referendum.
But, Mrs. Clinton is siding with this President Piggy, aka Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, protege.
And of course, that Smart Power emanates from the top in the person of President Obama.
We should be standing by those trying to keep the rule of law in Honduras. We should let Honduras deal with its problem in the way that it is dealing. The reason there is violence is that it is being orchestrated by Zelaya thugs. The same thugs that stormed an air force base to steal the ballots for the illegal vote. Then they were going to distribute the printed in Venezuela ballots.
Again, Smart Power is winning out. The United States will back a bully and leave good, decent people out to dry.
Maybe, the Democrats should just admit it. They have no idea what we are doing here. Hey, it might just work!

Rep. Peter King On Michael Jackson-A Must See!

The next senator from New York, GOP Rep. Peter King, gave some very politically incorrect thoughts on the death of singer/dancer Michael Jackson.
Yes, Rep. King called the late Gloved One a pervert and a pedophile. OUCH!
But, the thrust of Rep. King's comments was the pathetic way that the media, all media, is covering this death.
Yes, it is sad. It also shows that Michael Jackson really was Elvis-like. That it may be that Mr. Jackson was a drug-addled man that may have not been able to make a comeback. That comeback was scheduled for London later this year.
But, let us be real. The coverage is beyond over the top. It is almost gruesome.
A gossip magazine called OK! is not all OK! It has the Michael Jackson death photo right on the cover of the latest issue. Yes, that is always what I would want my children to see as we are checking out at the supermarket.
What Rep. King was saying is that there are some real people out there. People who are serving in the armed forces. Firefighters, policemen, teachers, people working on the front lines of the AIDS epidemic. Real people that will never, ever get any coverage for doing good for the community and the world.
Now, Rep. King has every right to say what he said and how he said it. The reality is that he is speaking for a lot of Americans. I am one of them.
Living near Los Angeles, I know that there is going to be one hellacious freak show come this Tuesday. That is when there will be a public memorial service for the King of Pop. And, it is going to come with a hefty price tag. Los Angeles, already in a budget nightmare, will have to pay for police and other city workers to keep the peace. And with 1,600,000 people registering online for 17,000 tickets for the memorial service, oy vey!
We shall see Tuesday.
I for one want to thank Rep. King for speaking for a lot of Americans thinking. That the coverage is way, way too much.
Thank you again, Rep. King.