Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Gas Prices Falling, Consumer Confidence Rising

An MSNBC article reports that consumer confidence is on the rise. This is definitely good news.

Just in time for the holiday shopping season, consumer confidence surged in
November, boosted by a sharp drop in gasoline prices and a perception that jobs
are becoming easier to find, a business research group said Tuesday.

Now if Bush and Congress would get together on some meaningful tax cuts instead of letting the last batch expire, we may be able to get back to a respectable level of economic growth.

Just a thought.

Monday, November 28, 2005

Guest Worker Plan And The Big Question

As President Bush stumps for his guest worker program in border states, key Democrats are chiming in according to this article.

Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., asked Bush in a letter Monday
to encourage bipartisan and realistic reforms to immigration laws.
“Enforcement alone does not work. Unless we address the gap between our
immigration laws and reality, illegal immigration will not stop and the
situation on the border will continue to be chaotic,” Reid said.

All indications are that Bush isn't going the enforcement only avenue.

Bush has been urging Congress to act on a guest worker program for more
than a year.
Under his plan, undocumented aliens would be allowed to get
three-year work visas.
They could extend that for an additional three years,
but would then have to return to their home countries for a year to apply for a
new work permit.

And now the BIG QUESTION. Why would one think that lawbreakers, those here illegally, are going to return home when their six years are up? If Ol' BC was here illegally and landed a good job the odds of him giving that up and leaving the country for a year are slim to none (and Slim just got on the bus). I think most "guest workers" would take the same posture.

Just a thought.

Ramsey Clark Just Anti-American

Michelle Malkin wrote a column a good while back about Ramsey Clark and his propensity to oppose the United States at every turn imaginable. Ol' BC found that it confirmed what he's thought for years - Ramsey Clark is a no good SOB.

He is far less concerned with freeing the innocent than with allying
himself with America's enemies at every turn -- the gorier, the better. This is
the man who: -- Flew to Hanoi to give aid and comfort to the North Vietnamese
while American POWs were being beaten, tortured, and killed; -- Flew to Tehran
to condemn the "Crimes of America" while his fellow citizens were being held
hostage by Iranian militants; -- Flew to Tripoli to cheer up Colonel Mohamar
Qaddafi after the U.S. bombed Libya terrorist training facilities; -- Flew to
France to kneel at the feet of the late Ayatollah Khomeini; -- Flew to Baghdad
to consult with Saddam Hussein; -- Flew to the defense of PLO leaders sued by
the family of Leon Klinghoffer, the wheelchair-bound American tourist who was
shot and tossed overboard from the cruise ship Achille Lauro by Palestinian
commandos in 1986; -- Flew to Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic's side, in a
show of solidarity against American imperialism, to defend him against charges
of genocide, rape, and torture against ethnic Albanians in Kosovo; -- Flew to
the aid of indicted Rwanda genocide conspirator Elizaphan Ntakirutimana, a Hutu
pastor accused of luring hundreds of Tutsi men, women, and children into his
church and hospital compound -- where they were massacred by gunmen and
grenade-throwers; and -- Flew to support the 1993 World Trade Center bombers (he
played the race card for sympathetic minority jurors by decrying our racist
judicial system), and continues to represent Sheik Omar Abdul Rahman, the
scheming Muslim cleric now in federal prison for his role in planning New York
City terrorist attacks. Ramsey Clark's record is not one of principled pacifism,
but of compulsive anti-Americanism. The peace-loving doves who follow his path
are flying on blood-stained wings.

Does anyone find any American allies in his group? Now, Clark is on the Hussein defense team.
Anyone surprised?

Just an observation.

Sunday, November 27, 2005

"Fireside Chat" Not A Bad Idea

Senator John Warner (R-Va.) suggests that President Bush borrow the old "fireside chat" from FDR to keep the public updated on the progress in Iraq.

Sen. John Warner, R-Va., recalled that during World War II, President Franklin
D. Roosevelt often went on the radio in “fireside chats” to explain to the
nation in detail the conduct of the war in Europe and Asia.
“I think it would
be to Bush’s advantage,” said Warner, who served in the Navy during the war.


Ol' BC agrees. For some reason, Dubya doesn't want to point out the successes and the overwhelming support we receive from the Iraqis themselves. He continues to allow the MSM to distort and misrepresent what goes on in Iraq, thus driving down his already low approval ratings. It's time for him to take a stand.

Just a thought.

Saturday, November 26, 2005

"Holiday Tree" In Boston

This is what's wrong. Political correctness is taking over Christmas. Ol' BC fails to see how any non-Christian would feel threatened at a Christmas celebration or by calling a traditional Christmas tree a Christmas tree. But that's what's going on in Boston. The location shouldn't surprise anyone, but some of the sentiments may.

The Nova Scotia logger who cut down the 48-foot (14-meter) tree was
indignant and said he would not have donated the tree if he had known of the
name change.
"I'd have cut it down and put it through the chipper," Donnie
Hatt told a Canadian newspaper. "If they decide it should be a holiday tree,
I'll tell them to send it back. If it was a holiday tree, you might as well put
it up at Easter."

Well said Mr. Hatt. Many many people agree with you. But, you see, in Boston they don't tell you these things in advance. They sneak it in on you.

In Boston, many residents voiced their dismay over the Web site that
promotes a December 1 ceremony for "Boston's Official Holiday Tree
Lighting."
Christmas has become too politically correct, said 64 percent of
people who responded to an online poll by a CBS television affiliate in
Boston.
Boston Mayor Thomas Menino said he would keep calling the Nova Scotia
spruce a "Christmas tree" regardless of what it said on the city's official Web
site.
"I grew up with a Christmas tree, I'm going to stay with a Christmas
tree," Menino told reporters on Thursday.

The majority of Bostonians who were polled disagree with the whole political correctness effort. The mayor disagrees and has the backbone to go on record. So, WHO MAKES THESE DECISIONS?

Just a thought.

Friday, November 25, 2005

This Can't Be!!

Every now and then you come across a headline that just makes you think, "huh? That can't be right." Well, that's one of them. How can that happen? What does it say about what our society has become? I can't know.

Just a thought.

Who Did You Thank On Thanksgiving?

As the secular nutcases push to exterminate any reference to "God" from the public view, Ol' BC was wondering who we should thank on Thanksgiving. Did I do it correctly? Jonah Goldberg had an interesting column on that very subject.

And if you're going to give thanks, you'll need someone to give thanks to.
Typically, that would be God — although, no doubt, if Messrs. Newdow and
Jillette got their way, we'd direct our thanks to a large coalition of
benefactors, including everything from a random universe and primordial ooze to
the guy who delivered the turkey. But God himself? He'd be left off the
thank-you card list.

Now I could go on and on about folks taking a high risk boat ride across the Atlantic seeking freedom of religion and landing on what became the United States. Or, I could talk about how my ancestors came to this country and assimilated. That, however, seems to be expecting too much of today's immigrants according to the nutjobs who run their mouths and file the lawsuits.
There is so much in this area that could make a good rant someday.

Just a thought.

Sunday, November 20, 2005

al-Zarqawi Killed In Mosul?

The head of al-Qaida in Iraq may be toast according to this article and several other reports. This could be good news for coalition forces as well as the rest of the world.

Just an observation.

Saturday, November 19, 2005

Troop Pullout Vote Fails House 403-3

In a GOP engineered "stunt", a resolution proposed in the House to pull troops out immediately failed by a 403-3 vote. The Donks are whining that this was a "stunt" by the GOP that denied the opportunity for thoughtful debate. Actually, Ol' BC finds it quite clever. The Donks have been on the attack for some time calling for a pullout of troops from Iraq and the MSM has been giving them plenty of play on the issue. However, when the time came to go on record and vote to pull out, the vast majority pissed backwards. This adds to the speculation that the Donks really only care about criticizing Bush and anything he does. All indications by the vote are that the Donks don't want to run for reelection with an official "cut and run" vote attached to them. One may find that more of the mainstream Americans support the troops than the Donks would have you believe. They had their chance to put up - now if they would only shut up.

Just a thought.

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

Remember Any Of These?

Just play this video. Maybe the GOP should run this everywhere.

Just a thought.

h/t Wizbang

Refresh Clinton's Memory

This cnn.com piece from 1998 may help those who tend to forget some of the events that led up to the Iraq effort to remove Saddam Hussein. It seems former President Clinton himself forgets much of this as he continues to be critical of the present Iraq situation.



Saddam (Hussein) must not be allowed to threaten his neighbors or the world
with nuclear arms, poison gas or biological weapons," Clinton said.

He then went on to say,

Earlier today I ordered America's armed forces to strike military and
security targets in Iraq. They are joined by British forces," Clinton said.
"Their mission is to attack Iraq's nuclear, chemical and biological weapons
programs and its military capacity to threaten its neighbors," said Clinton.

My how memories get foggy over time. Not only over time, but whom the press wishes to denegrate influences them as well. Now we hear how the inspectors were doing such a marvelous job over there. Remember this from 1998?

Instead of inspectors disarming Saddam, Saddam has disarmed the
inspectors," Clinton said.
"In halting our airstrikes in November, I gave
Saddam a chance -- not a license. If we turn our backs on his defiance, the
credibility of U.S. power as a check against Saddam will be destroyed," the
president explained.

One would think given all the information Clinton had at his disposal and some of the actions he took, he would remember what we were dealing with in Iraq with Saddam at the helm. Politics apparently does funny things to one's memory.

Just a thought.

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

I Knew It...

...There is something good about beer. It says so right here. All those years of tipping a Guinness weren't so bad after all.

Just a thought.

Friday, November 11, 2005

Ted Kennedy Babbles Again

On Veterans Day, the president usually gives a speech. This one was no different. Dubya ripped his critics who are putting forth falsehoods about the buildup to the Iraq effort. Some of his comments can be read here. Of course, Bush had hardly finished when Admiral Kennedy of the SS Oldsmobile began his ramblings.

“Instead of providing open and honest answers about how we will achieve
success in Iraq and allow our troops to begin to come home,” Kennedy said, “the
president reverted to the same manipulation of facts to justify a war we never
should have fought.”

Maybe the Admiral had a scotch or two too many, but reminder would probably be a better word than manipulation. As to whether or not the war should have ever been fought, he may want to consult with the Shiites or the Kurds, at least those who weren't killed under Saddam's regime. The dead ones can't enlighten him much.

Just a thought.

Budget Cut Package Vote Stalled

This isn't rocket science. Ol' BC has been complaining about spending by Washington for some time now. This NewsMax article addresses some of the problems being faced with the proposed cuts.

House Republican leaders scuttled a vote Thursday on a $51 billion budget-cut
package in the face of a revolt by lawmakers over scaling back Medicaid, food
stamp and student loan programs.
The development was a major setback for the
GOP on Capitol Hill and for President Bush, who has made cuts to benefit
programs a central pillar in his budget plan.
The decision by GOP leaders
came despite a big concession to moderates Wednesday, when the leaders dropped
provisions to open the Arctic National Refuge to oil and gas exploration, as
well as a plan allowing states to lift a moratorium on oil drilling off the
Atlantic and Pacific coasts.

Obviously, these cuts aren't easily administered. Here's an idea. CUT ALL OVER. The obesity of the federal budget is widely known. Put it on a diet. Play no favorites. Cut foreign aid. Cut the pork filled transportation bill. And while you're at it, CUT TAXES so the economy can continue to grow.

Just a thought.

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

Paris Riots, What's Missing?

Here's what's missing from most of the accounts of the unrest in France. They're MUSLIM. It's probably not politically correct to identify these "young people" as what they are, but it is really integral to understanding what is happening over there. The MSM seems to neglect to mention this in virtually every story, however this story comes close.

President Jacques Chirac announced extraordinary security measures, which
began Wednesday and are valid for a 12-day state of emergency, clearing the way
for curfews after nearly two weeks of rioting that began in neglected and
impoverished suburban neighborhoods with large Muslim communities.

That's getting close to saying saying the bombers and rioters are Muslim, but not quite there. Wake up folks!!

Just an observation.

Tuesday, November 08, 2005

One Dangerous Job - Saddam's Legal Team

This MSNBC article leads one to believe that those Iraqis must really despise their former dictator, Saddam Hussein.

Gunmen on Tuesday opened fire on a car carrying two lawyers defending
some of Saddam Hussein’s co-defendants in a trial for crimes against humanity,
killing one and wounding the other, police and defense team sources said.
The
attack followed the murder of another defense lawyer in the team who was shot
the day after the trial started in Baghdad last month.

Of course when you kill thousands and thousands of your citizenry, you may not be the most loved dictator on earth.

Just a thought.

Friday, November 04, 2005

Samuel Alito - When You Can't Fault The Nominee...

...just fault the selection. That seems to be the left's battle cry for now. Dubya addressed the concern of both the left and right, no record for Harriet Miers, by naming someone with a long record to be examined and one who appears to consistently apply constitutional parameters in his rulings. So what's the big deal? He's male and he's white.

Now the left is carping that the court won't reflect society's diversity. Here's a flash. THE SUPREME COURT IS NOT A LEGISLATURE. As hard a the court seems to have tried to "legislate from the bench" it isn't an elected body, which one may expect to somewhat reflect the face of society.

Alito is Catholic, bringing the number of sitting justices to five when he's confirmed. Now the number is four. The fifty percent now on the court doesn't reflect society. So what. Two are Jewish. The twenty-five percent doesn't reflect society. So what.

His record seems to indicate that he will be a solid justice. That should be the concern.

Just a thought.

Tuesday, November 01, 2005

Great Nominee Mr President

Back from vacation and refreshed, Ol' BC was heartened to see that Dubya named a highly qualified nominee to U.S. Supreme Court. I missed the whole withdrawal of Harriet Miers, but arrived back in the country to hear she was out. My immediate reaction was that Dubya would produce a nominee that had a lengthy record and was qualified to the nth degree. I think he hit the jackpot. Obviously, the left will scream. The left would scream no matter who was nominated just because he or she was nominated by Bush. Their concerns can be quickly dismissed. Samuel Alito is a fabulous choice. His decisions are based on constitutional application, even though he doesn't always rule in concert with political conservatives. He appears to be consistent in his methodology. Plus that, he has been through a confirmation process and won unanimous approval. Don't look for that this time around.

Even so, Alito's paper trail is far longer and more provocative on the most
controversial social issues than was Roberts's. Liberal constituency groups
immediately announced their opposition to Alito yesterday, and Senate Democrats,
including some who voted for Roberts, issued tough, skeptical statements in
response to his nomination.
Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (Vt.), the ranking
Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee and a supporter of the Roberts
nomination, called the president's choice "needlessly provocative," saying the
president rewarded a narrow wing of the Republican Party rather than the country
as a whole.

Read this entire article here.

Keep in mind that many of the Democrats in the Senate have approved Alito once. It will be interesting to see how they play politics with him this time around.

Just a thought.