That’s Right Nate

John Wayne and George Takei from the classic The Green Berets

First, allow me to say that I was never fortunate to serve in the armed forces.   I was unfortunate to be born to an upper middle class household with a family business that needed looking after.  I knew that the best way to serve my country was by continuing to prosper was to expand the family business so that I could hire more Americans hypothetically, that could even include returning veterans.   I thrilled to reports of the US military in action in Grenada, Panama, and the Middle East, but I always knew that I would never be lucky enough to serve myself.

Much of what I have learned about the horror and glory of war, I’ve learned from war movies.    I don’t there is anything like experiencing the sheer terror of those brave men on the US Arizona who were victims of a surprise attack on December 7th, 1941 except perhaps watching the stunning computer generated effects of Michael Bay’s classic Pearl Harbor movie.   I may never have got the chance to be slapped in the face by Patton, but there was always George C. Scott to teach me what it would have been like.

One thing that separates good war movies from great war movies is the hard fighting men and in some cases women of the film.   When you add a gay soldier to the plot, the movie becomes moralistic and preachy.   Inside of a fierce fighting force, we’re left with an army that’s more concerned with feelings and emotions than with killing and conquering.  It seems that some in Congress think that this is a good idea for our armed forces.  I must ask, have they ever seen a war movie?

In the classic film The Green Berets, John Wayne says, “Out here due process is a bullet.”  That’s what the military is all about.  It’s not pretty, but the actors of Green Beret got it.   There simply isn’t the time in war for the niceties of civil rights.

Rand Paul has been under attack lately since he was the victim of Rachel Maddow’s particular brand of Gotcha Journalism.   This new style of reporting ignores what your guest has carefully prepared to say on your show and instead of listening to his answers like a responsible journalist would, you throw a whole lot of facts at him so that when his statements fail to hold up to your crazy suppositions, you can say “gotcha” and make your guest look like an idiot.

In the Maddow/Paul fiasco Miss Maddow asked Paul if he believed that government should get involved in matters involving private businesses and their rights to refuse service or set their own rules for their establishment.   Being a strict libertarian of course Rand Paul said “No”.  Maddow immediately pounced on him by asking if that meant he was against the civil rights act.  Suddenly, Rand Paul’s answers seemed racist.  Nothing is further from the truth.

Rand Paul is not saying that black people should all go to the back of the bus—not all buses anyway.   What Rand Paul says is that public transportation, which is paid for by city tax dollars should allow black people to sit anywhere they please.   Meanwhile, a private bus company like Greyhound should in theory be allowed to have a black seating section on the back of the bus.   It may seem rather unreasonable to turn back the clock on civil rights 50 years, but alas that is the price of living in a Constitution Republic like ours.  Let us not forget that Thomas Jefferson said, “The price of freedom is eternal witlessness.”

Desegregation and integration would work the same ways in other areas of society.   Jim Crow laws would only be applicable in private settings and not in public buildings:

• Restaurants: Restaurants would again be allowed to refuse service on the basis of race unless they were in a publicly funded building like a museum.
• Schools: School integration would continue pretty much unchanged with charter schools being allowed to continue to exclude minorities, while public schools could not.
• Bathrooms: For minorities, find a bathroom they could use would be as simple as heading to the nearest public building.

This may seem oppressive, but remember there are sacrifices to be made for true liberty.   It may be tempting to restart the protest segregation all over again, but I hope that reasonable people will wait until we have enough time to figure out where the public police department’s jurisdiction ends and the private police department’s begins.  We certainly don’t want police trying to arrest police anymore than we want both the private and public fire departments showing up at the same time.

Sometimes, I go through writer’s block and nothing in the news catches my ire enough to inspire me to produce a new blog post.   In general though, I figure I’m good for 5 a week.   That number has fallen well off despite this being a banner week for stupid people doing stupid things.  So what gives?  What’s so important.   The only answer I can give is to go to my other blog. Things should return to normal by Saturday.  Please keep visiting.  I still read the responses.

Joe

Last night, Michigan’s Rima Fakih was crowned as Miss Universe.   Ms. Fakih was born, not in this country, but in Lebanon. As somebody who never misses a chance to spending an evening in my pajamas watching a pageant, I was both crushed and disappointed.   In the past, beauty pageants have always been the way that we have found those rare women who could speak for their generation.    Amazing women like Phyllis George, Sarah Palin, and Carrie Prejean first came to the public’s attention through their beauty, but it was the pageant that gave them a platform for their intellect.

I thought we had found a worthy successor last night, when Miss Oklahoma’s Morgan Elizabeth Woolard came out with a statement in favor of States Rights worthy of Alabama Governor George Wallace himself.   Ms. Woolard responded to a question from the Mexican on The Office by saying, “I’m a huge believer in states’ rights. I think that’s what’s so wonderful about America.”

As a blonde, Woolard seems a likely candidate to be a future anchor on Fox News.   Unfortunately, Ms. Fakih’s career choices seem considerably  limited.   As Daniel Pipes points out, Muslim women have won 5 beauty pageants in 5 years making one believe that there must be at least some sort of affirmative action at work here.

Rima Fakih could best be described as a homely woman.   One need only look at her long shapely legs, her curvaceous figure, her big doe eyes, her supple lips, her thick flowing hair to see why so many Muslim women wear burkas.  OK, maybe that’s going to I’ve been staring at her picture for the last 20 minutes and she seems to grow on you a little, but like any femme fatale you know it starts off with a wink and ends with you wearing explosive shoes onto an airplane.   OK, according to her blog she’s supporting Republican Michael Bouchard for Governor of Michigan—Oh my she’s a Republican too.   I think I can cure this woman.

Last month, Iranian cleric Hojatoleslam Kazem Sedighi was quoted as saying by Iranian media, “”Many women who do not dress modestly … lead young men astray, corrupt their chastity and spread adultery in society, which (consequently) increases earthquakes.”   He was naturally lambasted by conservatives such as myself for making such a crackpot suggestion.

The website Sodahead mocked,  “Ah yes. Those fantastic moral codes. The ones that strive to keep the entire male race safe from evil, corrupting female sexuality. Because there’s nothing that angers God more than a nice pair of boobs.”

All over the internet conservatives mocked Muslims and the idea that women wearing skimpy clothing could possibly cause any kind of global calamity.  It turns out that we may have been a bit hasty.   As Representative Louis Gohmert (R-TX) points out, “It’s an absolute breakdown in morality and when you lose morality you get economic chaos and historically when you get economic chaos people have always been willing to give up liberty and that’s what you’re seeing now.”

Now, this isn’t an earthquake, but it’s pretty damming evidence that the big government takeover of the Obama administration and the current economic downturn are both probably closely connected to the rising of hemlines and the lowering of necklines.   I’m glad the Louis Gohmert has kept an open mind to the dangers of this sort of thing, whether you believe he came to this conclusion independently or borrowed it from Sedighi.

Gohmert also points out in observing the pictures of scantily clad Miss USA contestants, that if a man were to wear one of these outfits, “he’s covered under the Hate Crimes Act.”

Louis, I think I hear those wheels turning again.

Neo-Socialist RINO Robert Bennett was defeated this week in the Republican Primary for Utah Senator coming in third behind Tim Bridgewater and Mike Lee.   Bennett angered many grass roots conservatives by attempting to pass legislation and work with Democrats instead of voting against every Democratic proposal sight unseen.   A tearful Bennett called that atmosphere “toxic”, but his mood was in contrast to conservatives who reacted jubilantly.   Party delegate Steve Ford celebrated the news with his wives saying, “This is a victory for conservatives across the country.  We need politicians with principles and we’ll do what we can to get them.”

Bennett, one of the more liberal members of the United States Senate, has a long history of championing far left causes.   While he’s been a consistent pro-life vote he has shown some support for stem cell research.   While being the only member of either party against the Domestic Powers Benefits and Obligations Act, which would provide benefits to the domestic partners of gay and lesbian federal employees, he lacked the requisite conservative scowl.

Bennett has also failed to crack down on issues important to Utah conservatives such as women wearing pants in public, state residents who skip Sunday church services, and race mixing.   While there is no tea party in Utah because tea is a caffeinated beverage and hence prohibited by the Mormon faith, a grassroots conservative movement has likewise sprung up in the Polygamy State.  This was indeed a grim day for Democrat hopes in the 2010 election.

I had hoped that Obama would get behind somebody that was a consensus candidate for the Supreme Court like Justices Alito and Roberts were.   I could have easily seen him going with an Alberto Gonzalez, John Yoo, or my personal favorite  Judge Mathis as a pick that both parties could get behind.  Unfortunately, Obama went with ultra-liberal Elena Kagan who has shown a disdain for the Constitution and the legal precedents our founding fathers set forth or even the newer guiding legal principles the Roberts court set forth in the Citizens United Case.

Reaction has been swift.  Congressman Jack Kimble (R-CA)  wrote on April 10th, “Right now, the Democrats have a majority, but we must not allow them to pack this court with another radical. We need only look at this nominee’s judicial record to see a long history of supporting liberal special interests and turning their back on the family values and fiscal conservatism that this country was founded on.  As I mentioned earlier, judicial temperament is just as important as strict adherence to the Constitutionalism. That is why I can’t understand why Obama has selected a nominee who is alternately bookishly withdrawn and prone to rage. Surely, there were other potential nominees who were better qualified.”

So far most criticism I’ve seen of Kagan on Twitter has come down to three things:

1. She’s not very attractive
2. She may be sexually attracted to women
3. She’s an extremist

Any one of those traits should keep somebody from sharing the bench from a Constitutional scholar like Justice Scalia.  We have a big fight ahead of us folks.   Let’s get rolling.

If the Florida state legislature had their way, which of these things would be legal?

A. Giving teacher’s tenure
B. Paying experienced teachers more than novices
C. Judging a teacher by first hand observation instead of test scores
D. Having sex with a dolphin

If you answered D. congratulations. You’re correct!  The Florida legislature has been unable to pass a law outlawing bestiality.  In 1971 a Florida Supreme Court ruling created a loophole by demanding proof that the animal was unwilling and traumatized by the event.  Since then, the legislature has not been able to come together to outlaw the practice.   This year, it was seemingly killed by an amendments dealing with fertilizer and gun rights.

Fortunately, while not being able to agree that sex with animals was unpleasant, the state legislature was able to find a common enemy in the state’s teachers.   Unfortunately, Charlie Crist vetoed the bill.   It was an eventful session for the Florida state legislatures, teachers, and lovers of dolphin porn.

I love National Prayer Day and I have as long as I remember.   A prayer is a very powerful thing and not something to be used lightly.  As Spider-man taught us with great power comes great responsibility.  I figure that I only have a couple of prayers I’m going to get off before the almighty is going to cut me off and move on to another worshiper.  I make sure not to pray for things like a million dollars, which I know is too greedy and will instantly be rejected.  However, I also try and avoid things like world peace, home for puppies, kitties, and orphans, or Jeb  Bush to run for President–I figure somebody else is taking care of the common stuff so I’m not going to waste my time on it.

I figure with most people praying for stuff, most good causes are covered.  Therefore, I like to use my prayers against bad causes instead.  I’ll pray against Nancy Pelosi, President Obama, Teachers Unions, The Minnesota Twins, Caffeine Free soft drinks, Demi Moore  and so on.  Just as Jesus did, I would like to share a prayer with you that I like to use when praying against politicians.

A Conservative’s Prayer of Hope

Oh Lord, you are so great, so absolutely powerful,
I don’t need to tell you that we are all in awe down here.
You who were the first Tea Partier kicking tax collectors from the temple.
You who showed self reliance with loaves and fishes.
In your wisdom please answer my prayer.
As you sent down many scourges to the Egyptians to help Moses
Could you please inflict Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Barack Oabama, and Alan Grayson with something bad.
It could be burning rashes or maybe some sort of small rodent thing.
Also, I would like to see Joyce DeWit act again–it doesn’t have to be a movie.  TV is fine.
In you name I pray.  Amen.

It’s simple, direct, and to the point.  That is just the sort of thing that God loves to hear.   You can copy this prayer or make one of your own.  I hope you all had a great National Prayer Day!

I keep an eye on Congressman Kimble’s website to see what our blog’s favorite congressman is up to, but he rarely posts full transcripts of his speeches. Today, he spoke to the Pacific Coast Petroleum Institute and his speech was a rare demonstration of courage in a rough political climate for off shore oil drilling. I think his sentiments are something all conservatives can get behind.

My friends, this is not an easy time for any of us. A cataclysm of unspeakable proportions threatens the Gulf of Mexico. Thousands of barrels of oil have spilled into the Gulf and every five days an Exxon Valdez worth of oil spills into the Gulf. The damage is immeasurable and the full impact of this disaster will not be seen for years to come.

It is natural that at this time of crisis our prayers and our sympathies go out to the BP shareholders and board of directors. I see the suffering on the faces of my friends who lobby for them, in the stock ticker, and I want to help in anyway that I can. However, even as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives there is very little I can do to alleviate their suffering.

I am reminded of President Reagan after the Challenger disaster when he said, “Nothing ends here; our hopes and our journeys continue.”

Those words are truer now that ever. We choose to drill for oil offshore not because it is easy, but because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone by using renewable energy, and because as Americans we know we look stupid in small electric cars. As Americans it is our God given right to explore this great country from sea to shining sea and to do so at 14 miles per gallon.

Already, the forces of big government want to use this tragedy as an excuse to apply big government solutions to cleaning up this spill and putting in so called “common sense” regulations into place. Do not be fooled. I heard Rush Limbaugh earlier today and he makes an excellent point, “The ocean will take care of this on its own if it was left alone and left out there,” Limbaugh said. “It’s natural. It’s as natural as the ocean water is.”

We know that eventually the oil will simple mix into the waters of the ocean and be so diluted by the huge quantities of water to be harmless, but unfortunately the damage will already be done. Oil prices may be reaching $100 a barrel by mid-Summer and as Americans we cannot accept this.

I am calling on President Obama to work with Republicans in Congress to look for new places where we can drill. We should not rest until every usable drop of oil is extracted from the Earth for it is the lifeblood of our economy. This is a time where we can make no small plans. This is a time for action. This is a time for America to again stand tall. This is a time to drill, baby drill.