Twitter Updates for 2009-07-07

Matt Margolis

Fighting Intensifies in Afghanistan

Mark Noonan

With 7 American soldiers among the killed:

Bombs and bullets killed seven American troops on Monday, the deadliest day for U.S. forces in Afghanistan in nearly a year—and a sign that the war being fought in the Taliban heartland of the south and east could now be expanding north.

Separately, Taliban militants claimed on a militant Web site that they were holding an American soldier whom the U.S. military says insurgents might have captured last week. The Taliban statement, however, did not include any proof, such as a picture or the soldier’s name.

This is to be a long, bitter fight which will have many ups and downs – but as long as we remain stout hearted and our political leadership doesn’t panic, the magnificent men and women of our armed forces will carry the matter through. I urge President Obama to provide whatever support is necessary and, as well, to make frequent mention of the battle in order to continually remind Americans that our best are in harm’s way.

Jackson as America's Princess Diana?

Mark Noonan

Hmmm…

British Airways reported a surge of bookings as soon as the memorial arrangements were announced. Virgin’s trans-Atlantic flights to San Francisco, Las Vegas and Los Angeles were all packed with fans and VIPs, said spokesman Paul Charles.

“I think this is America’s version of Princess Diana. People want to be in the vicinity. People from the UK and elsewhere want to share their emotions together,” Charles said.

In the sense of grotesque? Yes. Absurd? Yes. Inhuman? Yes. Shallow? Yes. Yep, I think we do, indeed, have our “Princess Di” moment for America…short may it last, swiftly may it be forgotten.

Honduran Judge Defends Ouster of Would-Be Tyrant

Mark Noonan

The story:

Honduras’s military acted under judicial orders in deposing President Manuel Zelaya, Supreme Court Justice Rosalinda Cruz said, rejecting the view of President Barack Obama and other leaders that he was toppled in a coup.

“The only thing the armed forces did was carry out an arrest order,” Cruz, 55, said in a telephone interview from the capital, Tegucigalpa. “There’s no doubt he was preparing his own coup by conspiring to shut down the congress and courts.”

Cruz said the court issued a sealed arrest order for Zelaya on June 26, charging him with treason and abuse of power, among other offenses. Zelaya had repeatedly breached the constitution by pushing ahead with a vote about rewriting the nation’s charter that the court ruled illegal, and which opponents contend would have paved the way for a prohibited second term.

From what I understand, the referendum was backed by Chavez, including to the printing of the ballots to be used. Just as Chavez likely didn’t allow a free and fair vote on his assumption of dictatorial power, we can assume that Zelaya wasn’t going to leave anything to chance. The Hondurans, with the example of Venezuela before them, decided to act before Zelaya had his “vote” with Jimmy Carter around to stumble around clueless and eventually issuing a blessing upon yet another dictatorship. Honduras, from what I can see, dodged the tyrant’s bullet.

And what does Obama do? Go along with the tyrant and his thug buddies – Our President has much to learn, not least is the lesson Carter never learned…leftists reaching for power are not servants of the people intent upon democratic governance.

TEA Party or Grand Old Party?

Mark Noonan

Interesting thoughts over at Instapundit on the prospect that Governor Palin’s resignation is preparation for founding a new political party. In the back and forth of it all between Reynolds and his reader Paul Lee it is very intelligently laid out in the sense of the plus and minus of the concept. Its impossible to quote it without diminishing the full effect, so go read it – then come back and read this.

All done? No, seriously, go read their stuff first. Its important.

Now, are you really done? Ok. I’ll have to trust you on this.

The failure of the third party efforts are due to two things:

1. Those parties which stake out a kook platform and thus can’t gain any traction with non-kook people (ie, Green Party, etc).

2. Those parties which shoot for the moon right out the gate (ie, Reform Party, etc.).

If you really want to start a third party, your key will be first to gain at least 300 State House seats and 30 US House seats – preferrably with a couple Senate seats and a governorship or two, as well. Once you have that, you’re for real – you’ll probably hold the balance of power in the US House and if you have those governorships you can start to implement some policies to give a track record for public consumption. If you can’t do this, then don’t even try – and if you want to have the White House, don’t waste your time (the White House will come, in the by and by).

First Commandment of Third Party Success:

THOU SHALL NOT BE IDEOLOGICALLY PURE

In other words, you can’t be either single issue kooks or overwhelmingly committed to a particular world view. You have to allow for the fact that its hard to get even 51% of Americans to agree on anything, let alone those enduring majorities necessary to change America. So, you have to allow for differences. Certainly, you have to have core principles and there are some people who are just going to be beyond the pale, but there must be a bit of “give”, or you’ll take nothing at all.

If anyone is attempting to build a TEA Party for 2010 and beyond, you must start today. Like, get off this website this very moment and start working on it. Just to get candidates on the ballot will take an enormous amount of time. So, if someone isn’t seriously working on this, then its not going to happen – at least, it won’t happen in time for 2010.

So, what about Sarah? I, personally, don’t see her seeking a third party route – but I do see her doing something I’m going to do (in my much smaller way)…run an insurgent campaign from below and outside the GOP establishment and secure power without owing the old guard anything. This doesn’t mean “don’t work with the old guard” it just means “old guard doesn’t run the show”. The smarter part of the old guard is already seeing the winds shift in American politics and will swiftly fall in line – the dumber part will be rolled over. To me, it is time for new people to get into the mix (even you pinkos can do it, ya know? Unless, that is, you really think Pelosi is doing a swell job…you can call it the Green TEA movement…come on, admit that its a cool name). We have to take back our government before the fools in it destroy this last bastion of liberty in the world.

The key to success for Sarah Palin (and for any of us who wishes to make a try) is to capture the moment – Bismarck said he wasn’t all that smart, he just heard the hoofbeats of history and latched on to the horse’s mane. Its a bit like that for us – the people are rising up. I’ve never seen so many people happy at the thought of a Second American Revolution; I’ve never seen government so unpopular; I’ve never seen people more disgusted with the way things are. All we have to do is put forward leaders who can speak to the people’s concerns and who aren’t tainted with the “insiders” brush. But a Third Party doesn’t seem the way to go – a revolutionary capture of the GOP provides us with the best national platform, already built in to all 50 States…and with fresh leadership, we’ll no longer concede certain areas to the liberals, nor believe that sabotaging ourselves with RINOs is a good idea.

We need a diverse coalition, to be sure – no one is to be turned away, sight unseen. Our requirements will have to be short and sweet…limited government, local control, sound money and a few other things, clearly enunciated as to why they’re good and what particular benefits they’ll bring to average Americans. Within this broad framework we can put up with a lot, even some rather stark divergence of opinion.

Service to America – meaning service to the ideals of the Declaration of Independence and we’ll get it all back.

Phrase of the Day

Mark Noonan

What are we to do?

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which one of you would hand his son a stone when he asks for a loaf of bread, or a snake when he asks for a fish? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him. – Matthew 7:7-11

And want to know something? It works. Infallibly.

Don't Lie About Our Sarah

Mark Noonan

‘Cause she (and we) just ain’t gonna take it any more:

Ratcheting up her offensive against the news media, Gov. Sarah Palin’s attorney threatened on Saturday to sue mainstream news organizations if they publish “defamatory” stories relating to whether Palin is under federal investigation.

In an extraordinary four-page letter, Alaska-based attorney Thomas Van Flein warns of severe consequences should speculation that until now has largely been confined to blogs — about whether Palin embezzled funds in the construction of a Wasilla, Alaska, sports arena — find its way into print.

“This is to provide notice to Ms. Moore, and those who republish the defamation, such as Huffington Post, MSNBC, The New York Times and The Washington Post, that the Palins will not allow them to propagate defamatory material without answering to this in a court of law,” Van Flein warned, citing Alaska liberal blogger Shannyn Moore.

Much like Palin did in her Facebook statement Saturday, Van Flein savages the news media in his letter.

“Just as power abhors a vacuum, modern journalism apparently abhors any type of due diligence and fact checking before scurrilous allegations are repeated as fact,” the Anchorage attorney wrote.

The fascist tactics of the left have simply got to be stopped – we cannot allow them to slander another conservative into the ground, as they did with President Bush. Take ’em to court, sue ’em for the last cent they have. Prosecute them if we can find even the slightest criminal offense. Don’t lie about us; if you can’t prove it, don’t print it. As for me, I’m not at all a rich man, but I’m ready to spend money to support such efforts.

Twitter Updates for 2009-07-06

Matt Margolis