Time To Remove The Stars And Bars From Government Buildings

Yesterday, the South Carolina governor, Nikki Haley, a Republican, officially called for the Battle Flag of Northern Virginia, also known as the Stars and Bars to be removed from the capitol grounds in Columbia. 
And only someone of Gov. Haley's stature could call for such a move. And it more than likely be passed by the 2/3rds votes necessary in the legislature. But not without strong opposition from hangers-on to the tradition that had been in place since 1961.
And throw in GOP senator Tim Scott as another reason the move will probably be easier to do than at any other time heretofore.
As an aside, Sen. Scott and Sen. Goober Graham ran for election last year. Sen. Goober won his race with 55% of the vote and 665,605 votes. Sen Scott, who is black, won with 61% of the vote and 749,266 votes. Sen. Scott had about 83,700 more votes than the senior senator, Sen. Goober. And it should be noted that Gov. Haley is Indian-American.
In other words, in a very Southern state that has elected a black and Indian-American could the move be made to move the Stars and Bars to a state museum and off of the capitol grounds with little opposition.
It helps to have had a serious event to make this move.
The tragic massacre at Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal church last Wednesday stirred a great deal of emotion. And the left, as it is won't to do, did  not let a crisis go to waste. Collectively through the usual suspects, they used the occasion to call for the removal of the Stars and Bars from a Confederate war memorial on the capitol grounds.

Until 2000, the above flag was with the other flags atop the capitol flag pole. In a compromise, the Stars and Bars were moved to aforementioned war memorial but still on the capitol grounds.
Why was it put there in the first place?
It was put there in 1961 during the governorship of Democrat Ernest "Fritz" Hollings and it was done to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Civil War. But over time, like throughout much of the South during the 1960s and beyond, the Stars and Bars were seen as a sign of resistance against an intrusive federal government and supreme court. Rightly or wrongly, it has been seen by some as a flag of oppression and a defense of slavery. On the other side it has been seen as an honor to those who fought bravely, albeit for a lost cause.
And in reality, both sides can be and are right.
Mrs. RVFTLC, the late Scout the Wonder Dog and I visited the state capitol in Columbia on our epic 2009 Tour of the South. Seeing the Stars and Bars did evoke both of the above emotions. The compromise that moved the flag from the actual capitol flag pole to the Confederate war memorial seemed appropriate at the time.
But we are in a changing nation.
And one thing is that this state, South Carolina, where the War Between The States began, has changed dramatically.
Because they freely elected Gov. Haley and Sen. Scott, they can lead the effort to remove the flag from the capitol grounds and see it put in a place of honor and or history in the state museum.
If a white politician tried this as short a time as 15 years ago, that would end their political career in South Carolina.
Even today there are people that will say that Gov. Haley and Sen. Scott bowed to pressure but has anyone given one moment to think that the time was right? That maybe it is not proper for government to be flying a symbol that emotes a helluva lot of emotion. But that support I believe has waned as South Carolina has seen a lot of people move in from other parts of the United States. The South as a whole has seen more people from out of the region move there for many reasons. Many  of these people have no skin in the game about the whole Stars and Bars.
We cannot and should not try to wipe this part of American  history clean because we cannot. After all, we fought a civil war over, among other things, economics and slavery and the holding of the United States together. Remember, the Union won the war. Some people seem to forget this. They can fly a flag all they want but it is still the UNITED STATES of America. There is no Confederate States of America. We have to have a real teaching of history and that includes all the flags used by the rebel states. Without approval or disapproval.
But the time, the time is right to take such banners as the Stars and Bars and not flying over government buildings. Gov. Haley is the perfect South Carolinian to make this call.

Thoughts On The Charleston Church Massacre

There is so much to write about the events of this past Wednesday night in the massacre at Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal church in Charleston, South Carolina. 
It could and still may take multiple posts.
But let me start with arraignment of the suspect, Dylann Roof.
And let me say I am not a good Christian for I know that if something like this happened to my wife, son or other loved one, I could not express the forgiveness that so many did in court yesterday in North Charleston. But they did through their obvious pain. I would be angry, hurt and seeking justice. I do think that while they do sincerely seek to forgive, they did express the want of justice.
Which leads to Gov. Nikki Haley and her response to the massacre.
On the morning after, a visibly shaken and nearly crying governor seemed unable to speak. But once she regained her composure she spoke for a wounded state and a nation asking the collective question.
Why?
And Gov. Haley again set more of the tone that I feel yesterday by saying she wants to see the prosecutor seek the death penalty against Mr. Roof.
Then there is the suspect himself, Dylann Roof.
This is one young man fueled by clear hate, nothing more, nothing less.
Way too may people are trying to seek to make excuses or suggest that this is not the Dylann they know. Too bad but this looks like a non-starter as a website that appears to be that of Mr. Roof is filled with all the stuff of a certifiable racist. 
Our Dear Leader, President Obama, of course wasted no time-a crisis is a terrible thing to waste-in renewing his call for stricter gun control laws. His statement on Thursday morning, unlike that of Gov. Haley, sounded like a petulant child rather than a leader that should have used the occasion to promote healing and a total rejection of the Dylann Roof's of the United States. Not unlike other racial controversies, the Dear Leader, President Obama, admitted he did not have all of the facts, but suggested the ease of Mr. roof having a gun as the real reason so many were killed. I guess if Mr. Roof had simply driven a rent-a-truck full of explosives into the church, at least it would not have been a gun used, right?!
The most absurd outgrowth of this is the "Confederate" flag and the fact that it does fly near the statehouse in Columbia, South Carolina.
Now there is a massive call to remove the stars and bars one again. And everyone who seems to have commented seems to not grasp what the stars and bars are.
The origin of the flag, which I will not show, is the Army of Northern Virginia. And let's face it, the South were the antagonists and would have multiple battle flags. We, the victorious North would simply fly Old Glory at battle.
In fact, below is the actual flag of the government when the South broke away from the United States.

The stars are for the first seven states to join in open rebellion.
But as the war dragged on and the South was losing big time, the government flag became more rebellious.

In this flag in the upper left field is the dreaded stars and bars. This was the last flag of government as the North swept to victory.
There is no question that the battle flag of Northern Virginia is and always will be a flag of controversy. But let the people of South Carolina deal with it through their elected officials.
Sometimes I think way too many forgot who won the Civil War. It was us, the United States. There are too many who want to relitigate that time in our history when we have, thankfully, moved way past that dreaded time in our history.
To me, I will not forget the true Christian ladies that spoke forgiveness for a coward. They make me need to speak to Almighty God a lot more than I do now.

Why Hillary Will NOT Be President

I know, I know that the granny in the pants suit, Hillary Clinton, surprised me and is running for president of the United States even though I predicted that she would not.
One surprise does not mean that it's all over and we should just accept the premise that because of institutional biases, Mrs. Clinton will be elected president of the United States.
In fact, this is beginning to remind me of 2008 when Mrs. Clinton, with all the same biases for her, still failed to become the Democrat nominee for president. She lost to a virtual unknown senator from Illinois named Barack Obama.
Right now there are two announced candidates besides Mrs. Clinton seeking the Democrat nomination for president.
They are the former governor of Maryland, Martin O'Malley and open socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I/D-Vt.).
The leftywhore media is dismissing these two as nothing but gnats in the March of Hillary to the Democrat nod.
Again, I will remind you of 2008.
Yet why is the open socialist, Sen. Sanders, at this point only within 10 points of Mrs. Clinton in this poll? In New Hampshire? And while she has a comfortable lead with women, men support Sen. Sanders. And what about this poll showing Mrs. Clinton with a 12 point lead over Sen. Sanders also in New Hampshire? Even if one takes into account a rather high margin of error, at best for Mrs. Clinton she could be ahead of Sen. Sanders by 18%. At worst she could only be six points ahead of Sen. Sanders. And while this poll shows Mrs. Clinton far ahead in Iowa and South Carolina, these are states that favor organization (Iowa) and establishment (South Carolina). Average the two polls out and Mrs. Clinton is only ahead of Sen. Sanders in New Hampshire by 11 points. Less than a year before the first in the nation primary casts it's vote.
I wrote seemingly long ago that the Democrat party has turned far left. They nominated the Dear Leader, President Obama, twice. And Mrs. Clinton has been playing catch up ever since. The reality is that Sen. Sanders reflects probably of majority of self-identified Democrats than Mrs. Clinton. And somewhere in between is the former governor, Mr. O'Malley, who will gain traction. I believe that it will be a serious 3 person race for the Democrat nomination.
In the end, for all the advantages of money, Democrat establishment support and seemingly favorable terrain, Mrs. Clinton may not be able to overcome the left turn of her party.
And that is the reason I do not believe in the end Mrs. Clinton will not be the nominee of the Democrat party. The party has moved decisively to the left and Mrs. Clinton is walking a tight rope that she will more than likely fall from. The only thing is whether it will be to Mr. O'Malley or Sen. Sanders.

The Episcopal Diocese Of Los Angeles Betrayal

To anyone who has followed this blog I have written a lot about the intramural wars within The Episcopal Church at the national and at the diocesan level.

A quick summary of events is that for the last 40 plus years, TEC has become much more modernist. By that it takes a total non-literal view of the Holy Bible. It has emphasized social justice as the way to heaven. Even some in authority as bishops have rejected the basics of Christianity. In that time, many parishes have chosen to leave TEC. A large wave occurred in the late 1970s with the ordination of women to the priesthood (and eventually women bishops) and the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. The largest wave came in 2003 with the ordination as bishop of New Hampshire one Vicki Gene Robinson. An open homosexual in a relationship with another man. Admittedly that opened the floodgates. The buildup of other issues somewhat paled to this issue. It led to the founding of the Anglican Church in North America in 2009. Out of that is a combination of churches and parishes that left TEC in the interim. Now nearly 1,000 parishes and missions strong and over 112,000 members, it is the greatest exodus of Episcopalians yet.
But churches and dioceses could not leave for greener pastures with the buildings and properties according to the then new TEC presiding bishop, Katherine Jefferts-Schorri. Nope, she made it church-wide policy to litigate all dissenters into either giving up or losing their cases. TEC has won many but has lost some including the diocese of South Carolina.
My local bishop, J. Jon Bruno, followed the national church and scorched-earth the four churches that left and wanted the property. Those churches were All Saints in Long Beach, St. David's in North Hollywood, St. James in Newport Beach and St. Luke's In The Mountains in La Crescenta.
I want to write that I personally like Bishop Bruno. Spoke with him many times. But on this, we could not be further apart.
So when you are trying to seize property, it takes high-powered and knowledgeable lawyers. And they do not do such things pro bono. No, they cost money. A lot of money.
No one has the exact amount but the agreed to estimate is roughly $7,000,000.
When I asked Bishop Bruno why another way to resolve the situation could not be done, I was told that it was a responsibility to those that found the church(es) to keep it (them) in the Episcopal fold. That is what they would have wanted I was told. There was also a fiduciary concern.
Now, did the diocese of Los Angeles have an endless amount of money to litigate? As it turned out, no they did not.
While the California supreme court eventually ruled in favor of the Los Angeles diocese, it did so over the course of nine years and the aforementioned roughly $7,000,000.
So all the property is back but what to do about recouping that money?
Why sell off the most expensive one, St. James Newport Beach, to the tune of up to $15,000,000. Below is what the church looks like.

Understand that one of the reasons we were told it was right and necessary to fight to get the church properties back. That they were rightfully Episcopal churches, nothing else no matter what.
It was part of the TEC to turn around and sell?
This is a betrayal of what was meant to try to get these properties back. In every case across the United States, it is the same. These churches can leave but not with the property because they are part of the local diocese. They are not really separate entities.
Except to sell to recoup money spent getting them back.
And if everyone is happy, why is there a website by members of the current congregation to save St. James? 
They should have known that this would happen.
It is happening everywhere that there is litigation for the lawyers do have to be paid, right? To show that might makes right.
The current PB, Mrs. Jefferts-Schorri, is on her way out at this upcoming general convention to be held later this month in Salt Lake City, Utah. A new PB will be elected. My fervent hope and prayer is that the new PB stops this insanity and leaves it up to local bishops to work out rather than from on high.
In other words, stop the betrayals. 

Oh What A Tangled Web We Weave When We Try To Choose Our Race

As Allahpundit would say, the story of one Rachel Dolezal is the stuff of comedy gold as this woman was born white and now thinks that she is so black, she heads up a local chapter of the NAACP.
The Miss Dolezal Story unraveled when a reporter for the local Spokane, Washington CBS television station, where she is the head of the local NAACP chapter, showed her a photo of her real parents and, well the dreckstorm took off from there.

Above is Rachel Dolezal, being interviewed by a local reporter. It is worth watching the short video for it appears that her whole world, such and pathetic as it is, is crashing down.
Here is the real Rachel Dolezal, looking pretty darn white to me.

And to buttress the case that Miss Dolezal is in fact and indeed white, here is a photo of her rather white parents.

They don't look to black either. In fact, according to the real dad (more on that later), their racial makeup is Czech, German, Swedish and maybe a trace of American Indian.
Again, no where does black, as in African, enter the picture, so to speak.
But hey, give it to Miss Dolezal. She made sure to cover the bases just in case. The photo below shows her with her very black "dad" that she went so far as to say was going to a local event in Spokane this past January.

The bottom line is that Miss Dolezal was born white but decided  at some point over a course of time that she so identified with black culture and the black community, she became black.
Miss Dolezal has so identified herself as black that she has shunned her very white, European-ancestry parents. They are rightfully saddened by her rejection.
Some further background is that Miss Dolezal is an adjunct professor of Africana studies at Eastern Washington university. As noted, she is the president of the Spokane NAACP. She has claimed as many as eight "hate" crimes directed against her and yet no suspect has ever been found.
I get that one who is driven by such a social justice warrior streak would want to be identified  with the cause. But why would she go to such lengths as to claim to be black? When you look at the two photos above there is no question that she is white as the Swedish snow and that she has spent some time in a tanning booth to maintain her darker skin tone and pass herself as black.
But another aspect is a bit of Stockholm Syndrome. Now Miss Dozael was not kidnapped and then identified with her kidnappers. But it is part of her psychosis in so far as identifying with the people she feels has been oppressed.
More than likely it is a case of the only way she could be taken seriously is for her to become black in every way including appearance. Although the NAACP welcomes white members, there is probably no way she could have worked her way up the ladder if she was white. But being black, then she would be taken seriously. She is totally down with the "struggle".
Although no one wants to say it, I will.
There are clearly some mental issues at play here.
I do not doubt Miss Dozael's sincerity in identifying with the struggle that many black Americans feel. But to want to pass one's self off in such the way she has done is what I do not get. When confronted about it, she ran away.
Now not too long ago in American history, there were many blacks that had such light skin they passed themselves off as white. It was out of necessity then, not something of wanting to be exotic. And in today's United States, despite some visible setbacks, on the whole black Americans are better off than they were in the era when they had to pass for white just to survive. In fact Miss Dozael is a success story in passing for black. She is a professor at a university and leader of a civil rights organization.
At some point, Miss Dozael will have the Oprah-like coming clean interview. That should be interesting. And it clearly is a tangled web to decide to choose one's race.

Lance Armstrong Is A Whinny Douchebrain

Blogger's note:

I usually do not write open profanity here but Lance Armstrong brings out the worst in me. So if you do not want to read for my minimal profanity, I understand but will stand by what I write.

The New York Times Seems A Little Scared Of Marco Rubio

UPDATE:
In the post below, I did not mention that one of the things Sen. Rubio did with his book advance money was spend $80,000 on a speedboat. Something the senator said fulfilled a life-long dream. Here is the $80,000 speedboat.

I kinda think Sen. Rubio got a little screwed in the deal. But just as I am not a tax expert, I'm not a speedboat expert either. 

In less than a week, it seems obvious that The New York Times is just a little worried about Sen. Marco Rubio and his quest for the Republican 2016 presidential nomination.
Now we learn that Sen. Rubio and Jeannette Rubio were, well a kinda struggling young couple with student loan debt, a mortgage and even an extra loan against the value of the said home.
But an $800,000 advance from the publisher of his book, American Dreams, appeared to be his financial salvation.
Understand that the article is to imply that Sen. Rubio is not all that great with his own money. So how can he be that great with the money of the American taxpayer if he should become president?
Sen. Rubio does have a reasonable explanation about what some see as kinda sorta shoddy finances. From the article:

In private conversations, Sen. Rubio has told friends that he learned how to manage money through trial and error. His poor, immigrant parents - his father a bartender, his mother a hotel maid - had little money to manage. 

Thus it is safe to say that a man who actually went to college to become an attorney and not a CPA did not have the best of role models one can suppose.
What I like is his written response to The Times:

Our primary financial motivation for the last 15 years has to been to become wealthy. It has been to provide for our children a happy upbringing and a chance at a great future.

BAM! 
What this paints Sen. Rubio as is a regular, middle-class guy who has not always been great with money but has the priorities in the right place. providing for his family and taking care of his children's future.
The article notes that the Rubio's have now opened  college savings accounts for their children, put away $150,000 and given $60,000 to charity.
No question, Sen. Rubio has made mistakes along the way.
Sen. Rubio used personal credit cards to pay for his campaigns. He said that was a mistake.
Sen. Rubio appointed Jeannette Rubio to be the treasurer of a political action committee. He said that was ill-advised.
Sen Rubio used GOP credit card to pay for a paving project and travelling to a family reunion. He said it was a accident that he did such a thing.
And in the book, American Dreams, Sen. Rubio admitted that he has a lack of bookkeeping skills and an imperfect accounting system.
Part of that, I suppose, is to depend on relatives. Not particularly a good thing.
Now that Mrs. RVFTLC and I are home owners, I do not even venture to do our taxes. I hire a non-family but best friend with an accounting background to do my taxes. I do not pretend to understand it so I have someone else do that.
Maybe that is the mistake of a young up and comer like Sen. Rubio.
To depend on himself too much when he needed to let someone else handle the family finances. To depend on family when he probably should not.
It does not mean that Sen. Rubio can't make a case for fiscal restraint at the government level.
I am not suggesting that The New York Times should be a lap dog for Sen. Rubio or any other candidate. But come on!
So much of this is petty and in a strange way suggesting that only older, wealthier people should even consider running for office, especially the presidency.
There seemed to be a kind of quaintness when the current occupant of the White House, the Dear Leader, President Obama, talked about having some of the same struggles not unlike Sen. Rubio. And a lot of the Dear Leader, President Obama's financial problems went away when he was given advances for his two books.
But that is not the case for Sen. Rubio.
The New York Times wants you to know that the family Rubio are a bunch of crazy driving spenthirfts.
Which means only one thing.
The New York Times and the leftywhore media are a wee bit scared of Sen. Marco Rubio.

Disarming A Police Force A Bad Idea

A city councilman in nearby San Marino has brought up the possibility of taking the guns away from the police force as a way for a “use of force become a terrible stain on San Marino.”
According to the linked article, within the past five years, police have had to use force a grand total of three times. 
Three times. The fact is that force was used 0.6 times in five years.
So what is it that is really bothering councilman Dennis Kneier?
Here is what worries Mr. Kneier:

While America has a policing problem, Councilman Dennis Kneier said, he didn’t want that issue in his neighborhood. Kneier worries a misunderstanding or accident might turn into a “use of force” and become “a terrible stain on San Marino.” So he suggested staff explore a style of policing where patrol officers don’t carry firearms.

America has a policing problem?!
I don't think so. 
We have a huge overreaction problem, but not some widespread "policing problem". 
But San Marino is the Beverly Hills of the San Gabriel valley. The median income is $147,000,
In fact, San Marino is the third most expensive city to live in Los Angeles county. It tops Beverly Hills and Malibu. It is a small town, only about 13,000 population. But it is surrounded by larger cities such as San Gabriel, Temple City, Alhambra and the behemoth of Pasadena. 
In other words, there is a reputation to protect. 
And that reputation is protected by 25 sworn police officers, seven cadets and a slew of civilian employees. And at a city of 3.8 square miles, that's 6.5 officers per square mile. 
Now I noted that there has not been a situation in which force was used that was due to some misunderstanding. 
What does the police chief think of such a proposal?
Police chief John Incontro is not all that keen on the idea. 

“We’re not an island, and we don’t have a wall around us,” Incontro said. “We have people committing crimes from outside this city, and the officers need to be prepared. They need to be sufficiently equipped to handle those incidents.”

Most valid point! 
One does not realize that a small town surrounded by larger towns as is San Marino simply puts them smack in the middle of potential trouble. 
Chief Incontro also noted a couple a major shootings that occurred in small towns. Those being Newtown, Connecticut and Lakewood, Washington. 
Some cities in Los Angeles county choose to have a local police force and some choose to contract out to the county sheriff. San Marino wants it's own police and what comes with that. That includes a unique sense of community of knowledge thereof. It's not to say that if the city decided to eliminate the police force and contract with the LACS it would  be bad. But they carry guns. And deputies don't necessarily stay in one area too long. 
The good thing is that the rest of the city council did not think it was a good idea, it is not being entertained at this point.  That does not mean citizens should not be vigilant and keep pressure on the city council to avoid a future council from entertaining it as a good idea. 

AMERICAN PHAROAH WINS TRIPLE CROWN!

The United States has a new hero and it is not a human one but a horse.

American Pharoah has done what no other horse has done in 37 previous years and won thoroughbred horse racing's Triple Crown and in very convincing fashion going wire to wire to become the 2015 winner of the Belmont Stakes.  

This is the reaction of the winning jockey, Victor Espinoza who was able to keep AP in the lead in the toughest of the three races that include the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. To win at Belmont, a horse has to run over one and a half miles. No other races comes close.

Horse racing has had a steady decline since Affirmed won the last Triple Crown in 1978. Off-track betting and two television channels, HRTV and TVG, have led to some of the great race places being bought by developers and torn down for something else. Here on the West Coast, or Left Coast, Bay Meadows near San Francisco and Hollywood Park in Inglewood, California have been destroyed to make way for, in the case of Bay Meadows, a mixed-use development. Hollywood Park was imploded this past week to make way for a possible NFL stadium.  

But this is a big deal. 

Just this horse being the 12th to win the whole Triple Crown can revitalize a sport and industry like no other.

Congratulations to American Pharoah, America's new hero.  

SCANDAL! Marco Rubio Has . . .

Careless driving!
Driving through red lights! 
Speeding tickets!
And all over a course of 17 years!
If you have not figured it out by now, Republican presidential hopeful, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla) has had some driving problems over the years. 
But guess what?
Jeannette Rubio, Sen. Rubio's wife, has the worse record of the two.
And where do we find all of this scandalous information from?
The Ol' Gray Lady herself. The so-called newspaper of record, The New York Times. 
Unreal. Unfrickingreal!
Amazingly, this was found out by two by-lined "reporters" and a researcher. That between Jeannette and Marco Rubio, they have 17 traffic tickets over the course of 17 years.
Oh, did I forget to mention that Sen. Rubio has four traffic tickets over the above mentioned time frame? Which means about once every four and a quarter years, Sen. Rubio has had a traffic ticket. Leaving the other 13 tickets to Mrs. Rubio. Including one for sideswiping another car with her Ford F-150 SUV.
Wait a minute?!
I did not know that Ford made an F-150 SUV?

BECAUSE THEY DO NOT MAKE A FORD F-150 SUV! IT'S A DAMN TRUCK!!!!!
Remember, two "reporters" and a "researcher" worked on this scandalous tale.
One would think that the thrust of the story, how Mrs. Rubio is a lousy driver, would get right what vehicle she was driving in her worst traffic violation.
But could it be because the Ol' Gray Lady really did not get the info they claim to have from a researcher but a pro-Hillary Clinton group known as American Bridge? And that American Bridge is a front group started by Clinton Butt-guy David Brock?
The Washington Free Beacon has the apparent goods on the fact that all the records were pulled not by a New York Times researcher but representatives of American Bridge.
Here is a real fact, my friends.
This is a huge waste of time and money and truly beneth the Newspaper of Record. It is also a bad thing if a so-called researcher used information supplied by a known left-wing political action committee to buttress a case that basically, the Rubio's driving sucks.
At least Sen. Rubio knows what the driver's side of the car looks like personally. The Democrat front-runner for the nomination, Hillary Clinton, has not been on that side of the car since about 1996.
So I'm kinda glad to know that Sen. and Mrs. Rubio are not the best drivers in the United States let alone the state of Florida.
If that is the worst an extensive media onslaught can produce, Sen. Rubio is an even better candidate than I thought.
Now can the Ol' Gray Lady tell us if Scott Walker picks up his own dog's poop? I really want to know.

Why Is Sen. Goober Graham Running For President?

Some dude from South Carolina named Lindsey Goober Graham is making a run at the Republican nomination for the 2016 presidential election.
He's a senator who just won reelection handily. For the time he has spent in the senate, Sen. Goober is the senior Solon in that august body.
And yet like the eight others who have announced their intentions, this dude, Sen. Goober, seems to be the one to ask this question.
Why is Sen. Goober running for president?
As noted in the linked story above, Sen. Goober is betting the farm that the 2016 election will turn into a foreign policy one and that he will ride in on the white horse to save America from the threat of the Islamic State and their radical Islamic allies.
If we were having an election strictly on who has the best plan to defeat the radical terrorists and the ever growing Islamic State, yeah I would put Sen. Goober in my top three.
But we are not having a one-issue election. We never do.
In fact, I will address an elephant in the room no one else will. And I write not to pass judgement but to get this out of the way before it can and will become an issue.
Sen. Goober is a single male who has never been married. Sen Goober is also 61 years old.
Yeah, there has been and will be speculation that Sen. Goober is a closeted homosexual.
Until now there is not one bit of discernible evidence other than the dude is a dedicated public servant. I really don't know and don't care. But if Sen. Goober is wanting to be a serious candidate, he better get in front of this potential issue now rather than later.
One of the reasons I don't get the Goober Graham candidacy is we had it before.
In 2008 we had Sen. John "F--- You" McCain and he tried to run a foreign policy campaign for president. The problem is that Sen. "F--- You" McCain did not grasp that he was the guy running against the seemingly dynamic candidacy of one Barack Hussein Obama, the first very serious Black candidate for president. And after eight years of the George W. Bush presidency, seen as a failure, Mr. Obama waxed poetically about a new America. Why Mr. Obama even convinced a small cadre of conservatives that he would be a different kind of president.
We all know how that story turned out.
The problem for Sen. Goober is that he is running against similar forces within the current crop of GOP announced candidates.
There is Sens. Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, two Hispanics of Cuban descent. Throw in Carly Fiorina, a businesswoman that ran for the U. S. senate from California in 2010. and the more than likely candidacy of the Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal, an Inidan-American and the potential for a game-changing candidate is more of a reality now than ever before within the GOP.
And a reality is that Sen. Goober is seen as nothing more than Sen. "F--- You" McCain's lap dog. Alike on foreign policy and domestic policy. Not dime's worth of difference is correct here.
Is Sen. Goober running to avenge Sen. "F--- You" McCain's loss in 2008? Does he really think that the 2016 Republican party is just so wanting a rehash?
Again, the question that Sen. Goober has to answer is why he is running for president? What makes him different and the one that can win? So far I see nothing whatsoever that helps in any way Sen. Lindsey Goober Graham.

CicLAvia Invades Pasadena

This past Sunday here in the People's Republic of Pasadena was an event that had been previously held only in Los Angeles and it is called CicLAvia.
Essentially CicLAvia is an attempt to get people out of their cars and to ride a bike. Skate on a board or roller skates. Or just plain walk.
Sounds like a good idea, right?!
Well, not so fast folks!
This one-day event closes down a main thoroughfare in a section of Los Angeles. Or in this case, Pasadena.
Most readers know the main street here in Pasadena is Colorado Blvd. Most know if they watch the annual New Year's Day Rose Parade that for roughly 24 hours, there is a big party and essential, Colorado Blvd. is shut down. Not really. Not until the very early hour of about 4:00am. And it gradually reopens as the parade goes the five and a half mile route.
But yesterday, CicLAvia closed 3.5 miles of Colorado Blvd down from 7:00am to 3:00pm. This is the route map here. And it is not just Colorado Blvd. that was closed down. Lake Avenue and Raymond Avenue were also partially shut down. And if you look at the map, you will see there were very few openings for those of us that for whatever reason had to be eeeeevvvvviiiiilllll and drive the dreaded automobile.
On the surface, it looks like 40,000 people seemed to have a lot of fun riding, staking and walking up and down Colorado Blvd.

Again, I don't have a problem with the concept as much as I do with how people come to partake in the event.
People as far as San Gabriel were riding their bikes up the the roads that lead to Colorado Blvd to partake in a day in which they did not have to fight car traffic and ride, skate and walk to their heart's content.
What totally bothers me about this event is the pretentiousness of it all.
Yes, for one day, we will get out of our cars and be conscious of how wonderful the world would be if we just did not have cars. If all we have are bikes or use public transportation, we might even save the planet.
But when Mrs. RVFTLC and I saw the event for a brief moment, this is what it reminded me of

This was what Red China looked like towards the end of the reign of terror that was the Cultural Revolution and Chairman Mao tse-Tung. More than likely, this was Peking, now known as Beijing.
No one could even own a car. The bike was the ONLY form of transportation for the mass of Chinese. Of course now that the current Red communist leadership realizes a mixed economy is actually better than what Chairman Mao wanted for his people. And the average Chinese citizen can buy a car.
I'm not comparing CicLAvia to Red China under Mao. But there is a segment of the supporters that would like to see this happen for they think its a beautiful way to stick it to the man.
I'm a proud bike rider. I use it for a lot of local transportation and to run errands. I know what it is like to dodge car traffic. I also respect the car driver and the street is not just for me and my bike.
An article in The Weekly Standard a while back was about this subject and how it falls neatly into a SWLPL* construct and how they want their lifestyle and cars be damned.
Look, the reality is that is So Cal, it is pretty impossible to get around without a car. Period. I happen to live in a great city in which the places I need to go are not all that far away. But for the average person, especially those raising families, using anything but  a car is a total non-starter.
So, I stand by what I wrote in the headline.
CicLAvia invaded Pasadena.

*SWLPL-Stuff White Liberal People Like