I read yet another conservative columnist griping about how the left is “invested” in failure in Iraq. Funny, how conservative veiw the world solely in financial terms. Conservatives claim liberals want failure in Iraq. Wrong.
Conservatives — staunch advocates for personal responsibility — refuse to own up to their own responsibility for liberal mistrust and disbelief. Conservatives are unwilling to recognize that there is good reason for liberals to doubt the “good news” (gospel) out of Iraq.
First, we all know this adminstration has mislead the world on Iraq. Take “mislead” in both the sense of incompetence and lying. If conservatives want to chalk it all up to incompetence, that’s their choice. Having been repeatedly and thoroughly mislead by an administration that is full of marketers, spinners and ideologues, why would anyone believe anything this administration ever says?
Second, this administration and its supporters include many who angrily deny global warming and evolution. They deny science and their own experience and, in the process, heap scorn on others. Why would anyone trust anything they say?
If there is good news out of Iraq, that is truly good news. But that does not offset the lies and mistakes that precede and follow that news. mjh
PS: As the Right repeats this claim, they villainize the Left. (“See how awful liberals really are?”) They also provide a scapegoat for failure. (“We might have won if not for the liberals, the media, etc.”) Personal responsibility? Yeah, Right.
Category Archives: NADA – New American Dark Ages
New American Dark Ages
Does Anybody Like Duhbya?
As you read this, keep in mind that Viguerie is an arch-conservative who despises Duhbya for betraying true conservatives. Here, he finds something to praise in Duhbya’s actions.
Having been out of touch with the majority of America all my life, I won’t gloat over Viguerie and his cohort’s absolute disconnect with reality — one of the things that joins them to Duhbya. Too bad conservatives worked so hard to get Duhbya elected twice.
Richard Viguerie Praises President Bush, Criticizes Congressional Republicans, on Water Resources Bill Veto Override
(Manassas, Virginia) Richard A. Viguerie issued the following statement regarding the override of President Bush’s veto of the $23 Billion Water Resources Development Act:
“President Bush deserves great credit for vetoing an outrageous bill filled with irresponsible pork barrel projects. But the Republicans in the Senate and House who voted for override his veto have shown their continual addiction to Big Government and wasteful spending.
“Only 54 Republicans in the House and 12 Republicans in the Senate voted to sustain the President’s veto. That is pathetic!
“What is really unbelievable is that the vote came so close on the heels of this year’s Republican election defeats in Virginia and Kentucky. And this, after the 2006 election disasters for the GOP, shows that either they don’t understand the anger of the voters or they deeply believe in Big Government.
“The Republican brand has been destroyed by the kind of Big Government legislators who voted to override the President’s veto of the Water Resources Development Act. The American people no longer identify the GOP as the party of fiscal responsibility. Republicans who act like Democrats are destroying the Republican Party.
“Most grassroots conservatives are unhappy with the top-tier Republican presidential candidates, and they have closed their checkbooks to Republican national committees. Many big-spending Republican politicians will be shocked to find themselves under attack in the 2008 primary and general elections, as conservatives begin the process of once again (as they did starting in the 1960s) of driving the Big Government Republicans out of office.
“Conservatives hope President Bush will keep his veto pen in action throughout the remainder of his term in office.”
– – – – –
Richard A. Viguerie pioneered ideological and political direct mail and has been called “the funding father of the conservative movement” for his role in helping build dozens of conservative organizations. He is the author of Conservatives Betrayed—How George W. Bush and Other Big-Government Republicans Hijacked the Conservative Cause (Bonus Books, 2006).
So, Viguerie is prepared to lead the most conservative back to the wilderness. Buh-bye! mjh
More Light and More Heat
Bush Says Congress Is Wasting Time – New York Times By BRIAN KNOWLTON
Referring to the current congressional session, Mr. Bush said: “We’re near the end of the year, and there really isn’t much to show for it. The House of Representatives has wasted valuable time on a constant stream of investigations, and the Senate has wasted valuable time on an endless series of failed votes to pull our troops out of Iraq.”
Tricky Dick Nixon thought Congress was wasting its time investigating Watergate. For the past 6+ years, Republicans stopped any and all investigations — there was NO oversight of the almighty executive and no accountability. During that time, America lashed out at the world, spied on its own citizens and ran up expenses and casualties that would have an honorable man gutting himself with a sword. Now, we’re just starting to shine a bright light on things and Duhbya and his cronies want that stopped ASAP. mjh
Former Gun Lobbyist Says NRA Aims Mostly for Money
Jeffrey H. Birnbaum – Former Gun Lobbyist Says NRA Aims Mostly for Money – washingtonpost.com
“Richard Feldman is a rarity — a former gun lobbyist who is publicly taking a shot at the National Rifle Association.
In his new book, “Ricochet: Confessions of a Gun Lobbyist,” Feldman accuses the powerful NRA of being in business primarily to raise money for itself and its executives, and of using self-defeating scare tactics to keep its coffers full.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/29/AR2007102902121.html?wpisrc=newsletter
2007 Spying Said to Cost $50 Billion
2007 Spying Said to Cost $50 Billion – washingtonpost.com
“By Walter Pincus
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 30, 2007; Page A04
The director of national intelligence will disclose today that national intelligence activities amounting to roughly 80 percent of all U.S. intelligence spending for the year cost more than $40 billion, according to sources on Capitol Hill and inside the administration.
The disclosure means that when military spending is added, aggregate U.S. intelligence spending for fiscal 2007 exceeded $50 billion, according to these sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the total remains classified.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/29/AR2007102902062.html?wpisrc=newsletter
Why I Still Read Krauthammer
Well, what about Reagan?, By Charles Krauthammer
Major grumbling among conservatives about the Republican field. So many candidates, so many flaws. Rudy Giuliani, abortion apostate. Mitt Romney, flip-flopper. John McCain, Mr. Amnesty. Fred Thompson, lazy boy. Where is the paragon? Where is Ronald Reagan?
Well, what about Reagan? This president, renowned for his naps, granted amnesty to 3 million illegal immigrants in the 1986 Simpson-Mazzoli bill. As governor of California, he signed the most liberal abortion legalization bill in America, then flip-flopped and became an abortion opponent. What did he do about it as president? Gave us Sandra Day O’Connor and Anthony Kennedy, the two swing votes that upheld and enshrined Roe v. Wade for the last quarter-century.
What’s a Social Conservative to Do?
Brownback’s Out. Who’s Helped? – The Fix
It remains to be seen what impact — if any — Brownback’s departure will have. If he simply steps aside and does not endorse a candidate, it seems likely that many people attracted to his pro-family message would naturally migrate to Huckabee’s campaign. Huckabee, despite his own fundraising problems, is showing signs of life in Iowa and could benefit from an influx of former Brownback supporters in the Hawkeye State.
MIKE HUCKABEE: WISHY-WASHY REPUBLICAN, By Richard A. Viguerie
Some voters pining for a principled conservative Republican presidential candidate are pinning their hopes on former governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee. But while Gov. Huckabee stands strong on some issues like abortion that are important to social conservatives, a careful examination of his record as governor reveals that he is just another wishy-washy Republican who enthusiastically promotes big government.
I wonder what a close examination of Duhbya’s governorship revealed. Oh, yeah, a uniter-not-divider, compassionate conservative. I hope conservatives everywhere are weeping and tearing out their hair. mjh