That’s Right Nate

The terrorists did not win.  Despite attacks on Americans in India by terrorists, Black Friday sales were up 3% over last year.  When I heard that news I couldn’t help but start chanting “USA! USA!” at the television.   When the terrorists attacked us 9/11 Bush told us the best way we could fight back was by shopping and we have taken that advice to heart.  When we buy Chinese made televisions and clothes we not only defy the terrorists, we give the Chinese much needed cash that they can then loan to us to get us out of this current economic crisis.  If we use a credit card we even help the banks out.

However, some people have had to sacrifice all for this freedom we enjoy.  People have put their lives on the line, put up with unbearable conditions that most of us would crack under, spent holidays away from their families, and even paid the ultimate price to protect our way of life and to these big box retail employees our grateful nation can never repay the debt.

Whether it be clearing a store after a shooting like at the Toys R Us in Palm Desert, California or ringing up sales as a coworker lays dying like at the Walmart in Long Island the heroism exhibited this Black Friday was truly daunting.  While some people would be tempted to reward these brave Americans with a living wage or health care that’s not what they do it for.  When you’re in the trenches the only thing that really matters is your buddy working the cash register next to you and you both doing your job and getting home alive.

In Communist countries they showed how backwards they were by standing in line for bread.  In America we’ll only stand for electronics.  We are a country built on the faith that whatever is missing from our lives is as close as that next purchase and that is the spirit that keeps us free.  To those martyrs who sacrificed themselves so that we might shop know that your struggle was not in vain.  I dream of a world where someday there will be so many Walmarts that standing in line will forever be unnecessary.

In his Weekly Standard column Billy Crystal calls on Bush to remind Americans of his accomplishments.

With Islamic terrorists so unable to attack Americans in this country that they have to resort to attacking India and gas prices falling to $1.76 a gallon I hope Bush will finally get the credit he deserves as the second best President of the twentieth century.  Notice how you never hear the liberals praising Bush’s handling of the economy which has provided much needed capitol to Wall Street in the midst of the Obama recession and at the same time dropped gas prices to a paltry $1.76 a gallon.  Barrack Obama should thank his lucky stars that he’ll be able to ride Bush’s coattails for at least the first 2 years of his own administration, but you know he won’t.

In the Weekly Standard, Billy Crystal the week urged, “whose deeds may now be susceptible to demagogic or politically inspired prosecution by some seeking to score political points. The lawyers can work out if such general or specific preemptive pardons are possible; it may be that the best Bush can or should do is to warn publicly against any such harassment or prosecution. But the idea is this: The CIA agents who waterboarded Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, and the NSA officials who listened in on phone calls from Pakistan, should not have to worry about legal bills or public defamation, in fact Bush might even want to give some of them the Medal of Freedom.”

This is an excellent idea that should not only be applied to the war on terror, but to other areas as well.  Karl Rove is a prime candidate for the award as is Antonio Gonzalez and any other political operative that the Democrats might want to come after.  In the economy there are several CEOs being persecuted simply because they were paid the market rate for people in their position while their companies failed or because they made money off of the misery of others.  The CEOs of Exxon, AIG, and the big three car companies would not only welcome such medals they could be counted on to be big future supporters of Republican causes.  It is time to give credit where credit is due.

Anybody who regularly reads this blog knows that I do not read.  I do not support tax money being used on an outdated medium like books and I believe Gutenberg was one of the great villains of the past millennium.  However, every now and then a book comes along that I think is whether of a review.  Sometimes, an author will demonstrate such wisdom and understanding on a particular subject that one doesn’t even have to read it to give it a stellar review.

Such a book is Michael Medved’s “The 10 Big Lies About America”.   I admit that at first I thought a book composed entirely of telling 10 lies about American seemed like a rather short read.  I also thought that telling your audience right off the bat that you’re lying sort of defeats the purpose.  Lies should be subtle and believable like much of Bush administration.    Upon further review however, these lies of Medved’s aren’t so much fibs as an attempt to piece together a heroic national narrative and that’s something every American should be able to get behind.

Take the genocide of the Native Americans frequently blamed on Europeans by liberals.  Medved makes the case that it was actually blacks who whiped out the Indians.   Medved says, “In fact, intermarriage (including frequent intermarriage with African-Americans, slaves and free) and assimilation caused more Indian “losses” than all occasional massacres by governmental and irregular forces — incidents invariably condemned by federal authorities, never sponsored by them.”  I already feel better about my country knowing that it was the black population and not whites who were responsible for Indians disappearing from this land.

Now, America has some awfully unforgivable sins in her past like slavery.  America was build on the backs of slaves–right? WRONG!!  Medved states, The claim that our forefathers built America “on the backs of slaves” rests on the idiotic idea that involuntary servitude proved vastly more productive than free labor. In fact, the states dominated by the slave economy counted as the poorest, least developed in the union.”  We couldn’t have built this country on the blacks of slave labor because slaves were lazy.  In fact, they brought down the standard of living of the white people who owned them.

Medved is brilliant in the way he avoids letting facts get in the way of telling the story of this great land we live in.  Other historians allow themselves to get tripped up by facts, but not Medved who deftly jumps from blaming FDR for the Great Depression to confronting the secular militants who have been trying to change our country for the past 8 years.  Though Medved may be telling 10 big lies about America, they’re lies I want to believe and that to me is the essence of good writing.  Medved’s book should be on any Conservative’s Christmas list.

The White House staff is gearing up for the last Christmas season with the Bushes.  I’m pretty sure the Obamas don’t even celebrate Christmas.  However, the staff like the Bush administration itself is constantly in motion.

It isn’t just Christmas that is celebrated at this time either.  Jewish peoples are getting ready to celebrate Hanukkah which celebrates Moses or something. The White House staff is responsible for schedule all sorts of receptions for Jews and Christians alike.

The lovely card pictured is the card the White House sent out to Jewish leaders welcoming them to a White House Hanukkah reception.    I for one will miss the class and attention to detail that the Bush’s brought with them to the White House.

Thanksgiving was always a special time for my family when I was growing up.  My father worked very hard to give us an upper middle class lifestyle, but he never wanted us to forget the type of poverty that his father used to pretend he came from.

On Thanksgiving, we didn’t have a fancy feast.  We used to go down to the local kitchen where we would see those much less fortunate than ourselves and we would stand in line to eat their simple fair.   It wasn’t fancy, but you could see that for some of these people it was the only real food they’d get that day and maybe that week.  My dad taught us not to complain as we sat at the folding tables and dined with these poor and simple folk.  My dad would give them colorful nicknames like “Harmonica Bob” or “Crazy Cat Lady” or “Black Comb Head”

At first my sister and I were frightened by the odd people around us.  I remember one year we sat across from a guy who was having a very loud argument with himself.  Instinctively my sister and I recoiled, but my father taught us we didn’t need to be afraid of the man because he was one of God’s children too and it was alright for us to laugh at him.   My dad would even offer his piece of pumpkin pie to the bum who did the best trick for us.  Sometimes we’d get thrown out, but mostly we just sat there enjoying Thanksgiving as a family forgetting how much money we had in our Cape Cod in that exclusive neighborhood where we lived.

We’d be home by 7PM and my parents would tell us we should go right to bed and think about the people we had met.  They’d remind us that if the Democrats got elected we could all be living in a homeless shelter for real and then we’d be asleep by 7:30.  It was only by accident that I later discovered that when my sister and I were asleep, mom and dad would go out to a very nice restaurant and have an elegant Thanksgiving dinner together.

I had wanted to keep this tradition alive with my own daughter Emily, but my ex would have none of it.  She insisted that we have a traditional Thanksgiving dinner like families do.  Though calling us a family was certainly a stretch.  Afterall, in a family one of the spouses isn’t usually getting it on with the neighbor across the street while the other spouse is working late to put food on the table and Lord knows those two ate enough.   Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving from the Peel family such that is to your family.

An 11 year old boy in Seattle by the name of Brendan Foster passed away from Leukemia last Friday.  His dying wish was to help the homeless and people throughout the country have responded with a huge outpouring of generosity.  Across the country truckloads of food and thousands of dollars have been pouring in to help the homeless and I’d just like to express my amazement at this brave little boy.

I’d like to encourage my readers to remember others this Thanksgiving.  However, giving money and food to the less fortunate strikes me as socialism.  It is well meaning, but if everybody gives according to how much they have and receives according to how much they need we’re talking classic Marxist philosophy and frankly that doesn’t work.

I encourage the readers of this blog to donate not to the less fortunate, but to the more fortunate this holiday season.  They will take your donation and with their holiday spirit will then help the poor.  By trickling down holiday spirit this can be a truely joyous time of year for everybody.  If Brendan had lived longer he would have seen the joys of supply side economics himself. Let’s spread the holiday cheer for him.

Think of the tale of Ebeneezer Scrooge who when he found the spirit of Christmas didn’t merely give the Cratchet’s his food, but bought a goose helping his neighborhood butcher and giving an urchin money to deliver it.  That is the kind of supply side Christmas or Thanksgiving spirit we can all get behind.

Wow!  Those of you that read this blog are truely heroes.   For the past dozen years Alan Colmes has been spewing his brand of leftwing insanity and hate speech on the otherwise fair and balanced Fox News.  Then, he ran afoul of this blog and just like Stop Loss and  The Dark Knight before him Alan Colmes is gone.

It took nearly 3 months of pressure, but Fox ratings have been slowly slipping and that is one thing that broadcasters even ones with the integrity of Rupert Murdoch can’t abide.

“I approached Bill Shine (FNC’s Senior Vice President of Programming) earlier this year about wanting to move on after 12 years to develop new and challenging ways to contribute to the growth of the network,” Colmes said in a statement. “Although it’s bittersweet to leave one of the longest marriages on cable news, I’m proud that both Sean (Hannity) and I remained unharmed after sitting side by side, night after night for so many years.”

Wow, finding new ways to contribute to the growth of the network–that translates to not letting the door hit him on the way out.  Fox wouldn’t come flat out and say it, but those aren’t exactly career goals.    Congradulations my loyal viewers.  We are now 3 for 3 on boycotting films and television.  We may have lost the election, but we are winning the culture war.

Let’s face it–gift giving is hard work. This year I’d really suggest cash as a gift, but that’s just not sentimental enough for some people. I was going to make a list of 10 great gifts, but I decided in honor of the song 12 Days of Christmas to go with a list of 12 well-received Christmas gifts for conservatives.

12. The Free Live Nativity at the Creation Museum ($21.95 adult admission) – Christmas is a great time to celebrate that the Earth is only 6,000 years old and no place does it better than the Creation Museum located just 7 miles from the Cincinnati Airport.

11. Toby Keith – 35 Biggest Hits ($9.99 on Amazon) – This great double cd set was $19 back in May, but now you can pick up two and a half hours of Toby Keith for less than $10.  What real American won’t enjoy listening to songs like Courtesy of the Red White and Blue and Big Ol’ Truck.  You just want to make sure you keep it away from any Dixie Chicks CDs you haven’t burnt yet.

10. Dunkin’ Doughnuts Gift Cards ($10 Denominations up to $200) – If the person you’re gifting drinks a lot of coffee or sits around all day in a mind-numbingly dull office managing the family business as he deals with employees that barely speak English they’ll love this rechargeable gift card from Dunkin’ Doughnuts.  Coffee or Cream Filled–it covers them both.

9. Sarah Palin and  Joe the Plumber Action Figure (32.95 for Joe, 29.95 for Sarah)  – Herobuilders.com has a great line of Joe the Plumber and Sarah Palin action figures that’ll help fill your children with conservative economic principles and a love of hunting.  Imagine the fun your children will have conducting interviews with their Sarah Palin figure or trying to get a country music contract as Joe the Plumber.  Celebrate the potential Republican ticket of 2012.

8. The American Family Association Burning Cross – I mentioned this one a few days back, but you can’t beat the message of God’s love for all as captured by the timeless symbol of a burning cross on your lawn or porch.  You also know you’re supporting an organization that is out to stop the liberal agenda so it really becomes a great lift on a couple of different levels.

7. Hobo Bubblegum Cigarettes ($8.95 for 6 packs from Archie McPhee) – This item combines two things that kids really love–hobos and pretending to smoke. Anybody my age remembers the plethora of toy cigarettes and cigars we used to see growing up in the 70s, but they’ve sadly disappeared along with Hobo stuff. Fortunately, there’s Archie Mcphee.

6. Fred Thompson 2012 T-Shirt ($14.95 for Coulter Sized, $16.95 for Limbaugh Sized) – What better way to remember the excitement of Fred’s 2008 run for the White House than by starting your support for his 2012 run early.  He’s the most dynamic man in politics today and these shirts help keep that excitement going for the next 4 years.

5. The Beer Belly – If you want to sneak beer into a sporting event, concert, or movie you’re limited. I like my Miller Lite and I like it for less than $8 a can. This ingenious device allows you to sneak your beer with you wherever you’re going and you simply look like you’ve got a gut. If you’re a woman you look pregnant. Believe me no security guard gets paid enough to search pregnant women.

4. Claxton Fruit Cake (2 lbs. for $17.95) – Nothing says you thought about somebody’s Christmas gift like the gift of fruit cake does. And Claxton’s has been selling the same batch of fruitcake since 1910 so you know its good.

3. Alan Keyes ($10,000) – You can book former Presidential Candidate Alan Keyes for $10,000 to speak to your group or organization.  Think what a hit he’d be at any dinner party you invited him to.  While people will usually book speakers for a large group, small groups are so much more intimate.  Mr. Keyes can be booked at the All-American Talent & Celebrity Network.

2. Superstars of the Conservative Movement Poster (Free) – OK don’t tell anybody how much you spent, but what Republican doesn’t like giving gifts without spending a dime.  This poster would look great framed in anybody’s office or living room and features such celebrated conservatives as Michelle Malkin, Ann Coulter, Robert Novack, and many others.  The poster is available from the Young America’s Foundation website, and with such forceful conservative voices it’d be a value at twice the price.

1. Canned Goods (Price Varies) – With the economy in its current state, I think the inn gift this year will be canned goods.  Make sure they are non-perishable and try and select a variety.  5 pounds of peaches in light syrup probably won’t be as appreciated as several different cans of a variety of food.  When the food is gone, the can’s work great for putting under a leaky roof or using as a dinner glass. I haven’t included a web link here because a lot of times, you can find better deals at individual grocery stores.

Let's get together to make sure this isn't our country's future.

There are a few ways that the government can save the big 3 automakers without giving them a big pile of money.  These are common sense conservative ideas that probably won’t get any consideration in Obama’s big government bail-o-rama, but they should be strongly considered.

1. Drop CAFE standards – No greater conservative experts than Mitt Romney, Billy Crystal, and Sean Hannity have blamed CAFE standards for the burden they put on automobile makers.  As Hannity put it, you know “between the unions, between trade policy, safety standards, CAFE standards, you know, economy, fuel economy standards, they’re forcing these auto companies to be in a position where they’re not as competitive.

The Cafe standards require that cars get 35 miles per gallon by 2020 put car companies in opposition to the wishes of car buyers who could care less about the mileage.  Car buyers want power and size.  My truck gets about 10 miles per gallon and I love it.  Let’s let American car companies dream big.  The next generation of cars may only get 4 miles per gallon, but you’ll be able to watch a movie in the back seat in high definition with surround sound and roast your Thanksgiving turkey on the way to Grandma’s house.

2. Eliminate Car Pool Lanes -Why hasn’t it occurred to anybody that by encouraging car pooling you’re discouraging car purchasing?  If 2 people can split a car they don’t need to cars anymore.  Our governments are making it too easy for people not to buy a car.  We need to get rid of what public transportation we do have and require drivers over 16 to drive themselves wherever they go – ride sharing will kill Detroit.

3. Retool Auto Robots – With auto manufacturers closing plants, we have a whole lot of the robots that make our cars falling into disuse.  Idle robot technology like this is extremely vulnerable to technologically savy evil geniuses.  It is only a matter of time before a robot army is marching down Pennsylvania Avenue and we’re all hailing our new automoton overlords.  Instead, let’s give money to car companies to retool these robots.  By stopping the coming robot rebellion they will be providing us and our surviving offspring an invaluable service.

We must decide if we will remain at the kiddy table with the Indians or move up to the head table with the religious.

When Rupert Murdoch bought the Wall Street Journal a lot of people were worried that the quality of reporting in the newspaper might go down.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Today there was a great article by Daniel Henninger which places the failure of economy where it clearly belongs – on the secularization of Christmas.  I was a little disappointed that he didn’t mention Thanksgiving, but I’ll get into that later.  As Henninger put it, “A nation whose people can’t say “Merry Christmas” is a nation capable of ruining its own economy.”

i have to admit I’ve felt alone on the front lines of the culture war lately.  Even Bill O’Reilly’s Christmas Reading List has been replaced by a “Holiday” Reading List.  Today, my ex-wife got a letter home from my daughter’s school wishing her family a Happy Turkey Day.   What hope do we have raising a God fearing child when her own school is secularizing Thanksgiving?

“It has been my view that the steady secularizing and insistent effort at dereligioning America has been dangerous. That danger flashed red in the fall into subprime personal behavior by borrowers and bankers, who after all are just people. Northerners and atheists who vilify Southern evangelicals are throwing out nurturers of useful virtue with the bathwater of obnoxious political opinions,” states Henninger making a strong case that the cause of the economic downturn is the Northern Atheists who control the banking industry.   Perhaps, it is time to put Southern religious people in charge of our country.