Ft. Lauderdale, Here We Come

The troops are fighting and dying in the Middle East, and Congress is on "spring break." When they get damn good and ready, they'll wander back and begin discussing whether they'll fund the war or not. The majority wants to tell the military, "We'll give you some support, but you have to surrender next year. All the hard work you have done so far will be wasted, and those who died, will have done so in vain. We, the Congress, have spoken. Hail, Pelosi."

Have you ever wondered how military coups happen? Imagine you're mired in the sand of Iraq, the Barstow of the Middle East, and the word comes down that you can keep fighting until next year, but then you have to surrender. Do you think you might start talking to your buddies and your officers about how you don't like that, and how you might want to tell Congress to go to hell? Do you think your officers, those high-ranking career military men, might, first, be offended that Congress has inpugned their knowledge of military tactics; and, second, start to get angry? What do you suppose angry combat-ready soldiers might do when they're arbitrarily ordered to stop fighting the enemy? And, as you remember your dead comrades, what might you do?

A Parable

We've all played a team sport once. Let's say the coach, a few minutes before halftime, seeing the team is losing, says to them, "We're going to quit three minutes into the second half." Then he goes over to tell the opposing coach, who is overjoyed.

Is that the American way? Congress apparently thinks so. (As submitted to TV.)

Duck and Cover

So, now there are 269 legislators, for whom I didn't vote, who don't seem to understand the threat to civilization that extreme Islam presents. These members of Congress can't be stupid, can they? Could they be careless? Possibly. Maybe they're just insensitive to human life, particularly the lives of those men and women who have volunteered to protect their country. Unfortunately, it probably is purely political. You know. . . job security, and the country be damned.

What is sure is that the 269 have no concept of military tactics, and they seriously underestimate the subhuman nature of the enemy. What they propose is nothing less than surrender. Finally, they are ignorant of the the fact that the only way to achieve peace is through victory.

We might decimate the enemy before spring 2008. However, if I were they, I would scale back my attacks (hide, if you wish), store up supplies and wait until the U.S. surrenders. Then I would mount an all-out crusade against the U.S. on American soil. Will Congress be arming themselves for that, or will they beg for mercy?

Infamy

On Friday, 218 members of the U.S. House of Representatives said, "Fuck you; so what if you die?" to our fighting men and women in the Middle East. Please excuse my use of an ugly profanity, but that only begins to express how angry I am with those 218 people.

The new Congress has had almost three months to respond to the need to provide funds for the health and safety of the military, and they have come up with legislation that cannot possibly pass, and which leaves the troops in jeopardy still longer. I commiserate with those of you who have friends and relatives fighting for our country who will die unnecessarily before the House sees fit to pass a clean appropriations bill, without all the pork, and the proscription to surrender by August 2008.

Why, in God's name, have the infamous 218 chosen to embolden the enemy by providing them with a date certain when they can celebrate their victory in Iraq, and schedule their passage to the U.S. so as to continue their elimination of the infidels?

In the midst of this debacle, I am somewhat comforted by the fact that I didn't vote for any of the 218. When the smoke clears on this, I hope they will find themselves back in their hometowns, running used car lots. That's a sleazy endeavor suited to their skills.

I'm just as skeptical as you about the claim that the Surge is working, but I am hoping that a show of force is what it's going to take to defeat an enemy that only respects force and not human life. And, even though I didn't vote for any of them either, I pray that the more rational minds in the Senate will be able to effect a compromise and save our troops.

Jerry and Kelli

When I send things to my TV station, sometimes it's just to give the anchors a laugh. So, imagine my surprise when , yesterday, my response to the question, "Should the UC professors strike?" was put on the air, thus:

"Do they actually have professors at XXXXX State University? I thought the kids came here to drink, do drugs, tube on the river, fight in the streets and steal from each other. Who needs professors for that?

Legal Matters

The ACLU, that group that sues to tear down crosses on public lands and wants to do away with the Ten Commandments, while citing the non-existent "separation of church and state," has taken the case of Toni Kay Scott, 14, of Napa, California, who violated her public school dress code. Toni got into trouble (Associated Press didn't specify how much) for wearing socks bearing the picture of Tigger from Winnie the Pooh, in contravention to the policy requiring clothing of solid colors only (except red, interestingly). The ACLU alleges that Redwood Middle School illegally denies students "the right to express political, RELIGIOUS, humorous, and literary messages on their clothes."

You can't have it both ways, ACLU hypocrites.

Prospective jurors for the Phil Spector murder trial have been ordered to fill out 18-page questionnaires. What are their rights in this matter? I'm afraid I might be tempted to provide my name, address and telephone number, but give a big N/A to the rest. I imagine they can legally ask me those questions when they get me in the jury box, but if that's not good enough for them, they can dismiss me.

Actually, I might just fill out the questionnaire and be dismissed for my honest impertinence. I get really offended when someone asks me if I can be fair.

At His Pleasure

One summer, when I was in college, I worked for a laundry. My job was to open our satellite store every morning, collect the dirty clothes and take them to the cleaning plant. Then I would return to run the satellite until it was time to bring back the clean clothes for customer pickup. I had a fine boss. Just as an example, one day I told a particularly nasty customer who complained about the service that we weren't the only store in town and he might consider going elsewhere. His phone call to the boss brought me into the office where he asked me if that's what I said. "Yes, sir," I replied. With a broad smile, the boss said, "That's my job; next time let me do it."

A couple summers later, in another college town, armed with a good recommendation, I got a similar job at another laundry. But here they had not perfected the system yet, and when I arrived to pick up the clean clothes, most days they weren't ready. This new boss, in his frustration, yelled at me to do something (unspecified) while I waited. "Look busy," he said.

I was searching the classifieds for a new job when I came across an ad for my job, but without any mention of looking busy. The next morning, I went to the boss's office and asked if he was advertising to replace me, and he said, "Yes." I replied, "I quit," and went home. Because I had left him short-handed, I'm sure the weasel told everyone he had fired me. I did serve at his pleasure, so that would have been his prerogative, but as I wasn't planning a career in the laundry business, his name never graced my resume.

Last week President Bush fired eight U.S. attorneys. They served at his pleasure, and they were not performing to his standards. U.S. attorneys have routinely been dismissed by all Presidents. The dirty work this time fell to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. A truly nice man, he apologized that he had done so in an abrupt manner, unlike when the Clinton administration asked for the resignation of all 93 U.S. attorneys more surrepticiously. The people who are most upset are a group of Democratic legislators who, for purely political reasons, are attempting to embarrass the President yet again. The attorneys will rebound and find new work soon, some with the anti-American ACLU. The President and the Attorney General will be stronger for the experience.

Schools

I am sick and tired of hearing how teacher incompetence is the cause of the failure of our schools. With the recent increase in the cost of a UC college education to $25,000-30,000 per year, who would be so foolish as to invest five years in college only to become incompetent?

The problems in schools are created primarily by the students. Children who listen, behave and apply themselves reach their potential. Those who don't wouldn't be successful if God Himself were their teacher.

And now we come to another basic cause of the breakdown of education. If you have children, look in the mirror; it could be you. Do you send your children to school each day ready to learn? Have you taught them basic decency and respect for others? Have you made sure they have completed their homework? Do you help them to understand their lessons? If you do, I commend you.

Unfortunately, there are millions of parents who don't. Some of these people are the dregs of society. and they won't be reading (or can't read) this post. I would like to talk to those who have been too busy or distracted to be actually engaged in their children's education. You are one-third of the student-teacher-parent education formula. If you don't do your part, the children sense you don't care. Only with your involvement can schools succeed.

Good teachers only present facts; it's up to you, the parents, to interpret them. Teach your values to your children, and maybe, someday some of them will rub off on those poor wretches whose parents have none.

Presidental Poll

Another specious poll (AP) says that people are more concerned about the character of Presidential candidates than their stand on the issues. . . by a long shot. My comment to the TV station (where I appear about three times a week) was seriously edited, and missed the point. Here is the full text: (That which they used is in brackets.)

"Americans are extremely forgetful and/or forgiving. Many Presidents have been less than moral, but we have only become concerned when they were careless enough to be caught. [The most popular peccadillo involves sex, and we tend to gloss that over if the economy is strong and we feel safe in our homes]."

Hil(l)ar(it)y

Over the weekend, a small group of protestors calling themselves The Cindy Sheehan Brigade demonstrated outside the Clinton Compound in upstate New York. Hillary wasn't there and Bill hasn't dared to show his face or penis in months. Chanting "Pillory Hillary," the Peace Nazis took issue with her wishy-washy stance on excoriating the troops and her one-time support for them.

In mid-afternoon, a large black SUV was seen coming down the road, and the mobette was heartened until it was determined that Mrs. Bill wasn't aboard. Apparently, she doesn't emulate Nancy Pelosi in her choice of land transport.

Mostly women, the Brigade members were nattily attired in polyester pantsuits, and they sported flowsy blonde hairdos. Suddenly, Chuck Shumer, the other liberal New York Senator, similarly attired, appeared from out of nowhere to address the mobette. But he couldn't be heard over the squealing, and he stamped his foot and unexpectedly discovered there is no place like home.

After a generous helping of crow, the Brigade reluctantly got back on the bus for the ride home. On the way, they stopped at Wal-Mart, genuflected, and paid homage to low prices. Then they bought vast amounts of the loss leaders du jour.

Miscellany

"Science" has struck again. I awoke at 7 a.m. today and the sun hadn't risen. It was quite dark. "So this is daylight savings time, " I thought. On a work day, people will arrive at the job site and turn on the lights. What are they saving? After work, they'll have an extra hour of daylight when they can crank up the power mower, or maybe fire up the charcoal grill and enjoy a nice smoky barbeque for an extra hour. What are they saving then?

I have just seen Fox News Sunday, and have found my (yet to declare) Presidential candidate: Fred Dalton Thompson. Former Senator from Tennessee and federal attorney, he's a clear thinker and a strong personality. His acting experience serves him well, and when he speaks, he commands respect. Of course, he's quite conservative in a common sense kind of way. But then, I've always respected and envied his career.

I am a U.S. citizen and I live on a small fixed income. If I were to apply for another credit card, I would be promptly rejected because I don't meet the income limitation. Yet, some banks want to extend credit to illegal aliens. What kind of second-class citizen does that make me?

Global Warming

Don't get me wrong. I believe there is some warming going on. "Science" seems to be able to document that. What thay can't say for sure is why. They do seem to believe that periods of warming and cooling have been occurring for millions of years. Lately, by majority vote, "science" wants to blame you and me.

Now, Al Gore, at least partially for political gain, is trying to scare us and the children into believing that a phenomenon that has traditionally taken thousands of years to happen, will occur tomorrow if we don't all change our lifestyles. Yet, has he? Apparently, not appreciably.

I prefer the wait and see option. I will drive if I have to get somewhere, I would light my fireplace if it gave off heat, I'm too poor to replace my energy inefficient appliances, I know that when they say that fluorescent bulbs will burn for seven years, that is an exaggeration, I recycle aluminum cans because they're worth something, and I throw newspapers, bottles and tin cans into a green box that Waste Management says they recycle. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy, but, hopefully, not too warm.

"An Inconvenient Truth"

No, I haven't seen it. I'm not much of a moviegoer, and this is such an egregious piece of propaganda, that you couldn't pay me to see it. In addition, it was made by one of the biggest hypocrites in the political arena. He's the man who lives in a 22-room mansion which uses an outrageous amount of energy. He's also the man who wrongly persisted in saying he had been elected President in contravention to the U.S. Constitution which clearly explains the function of the Electoral College.

The film was made as a purely political ploy to enhance his next run for office. He made a sizeable investment in his campaign to win the Oscar, and his victory wraps up the Hollywood vote. It has all been carefully orchestrated (but not by Ennio Morricone). Expect to see him prominently display Oscar on the Presidential campaign trail.

Tonight, the Mayor of Sacramento is requiring the film be shown at the regular City Council meeting. I hope nobody shows up.

Attention Deadbeats!

The State of California is being overrun with illegal aliens, and we're hemorrhaging money to provide for their health and welfare. The police are too busy to arrest the scofflaw employers who hire them, and the flow keeps coming. Let's look at why the police can't keep up.

First, they're busy chasing down repeat drunk drivers who should be in jail. Then, in the new year, they're faced or will be faced with a plethora of time-consuming nuisance laws. The dreaded prohibited cell phone use by drivers has begun in limited enforcement. Children have to be weighed or have their weight estimated to determine whether they need to be in car seats. Someone wanted to outlaw spanking, but, thankfully, that proposed law itself got spanked. Also avoided for the moment are laws telling us what kind of light bulbs to buy, and prohibiting the use of fireplaces. Do we really have to take up law enforcement's time to teach us how to lead a reasonable life? And why aren't the legislators addressing the issue of illegal immigration?

The latest proposed law could be another nightmare for law enforcement. Two misguided legislators want to give each newborn child in California a savings account of $500. This is wrong on two levels. First, it's a fraud waiting to happen. Surely, some deadbeats who have been having babies for years for the government money will have little trouble getting their hands on this $500. And, this is crucial, the money will go "to every baby born in California, regardless of the parents' financial or immigration status." So, that means that at least half will go to those don't need it and those who don't deserve it.

Finally, as Barbara Coe, chairwoman of the California Coalition for Immmigration Reform said, "It would send an even louder message to illegal aliens around the world to come to California."