What Senator Brown (R-MA) means for 2010 and 2012

First, let's give kudos to Professor Jacobson, DatechGuy, RS and Pam for following Senator Scott Brown (R-MA) to victory!

Here are the raw numbers: 52% - 47% Brown - Coakley.

Here is Coakley's concession speech (transcript):

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Here is Senator Brown's (R-MA) victory speech (transcript):

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

If President Obama was the person advertised in 2008, we on the Right would not be resurging. Instead, we have a President who can't lead, even with his own party in the majority in the Senate. It takes a comedian to say it best:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Mass Backwards
http://www.thedailyshow.com/
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

Now, what does Senator Brown (R-MA) mean for Election 2010?

Simple, the Tea Partiers were right. Fiscal Conservatism will be ascending as an election theme. Arrogance by the majority in Congress will be the other theme. As I've said many times before, you can't "Blame Bush," when you run everything.

This year, we on the Right should run the boards -- fund candidates from outlaying districts, have Bloggers support them and the ADC's and County Parties continue helping out those Conservatives and tea partiers who win Republican primaries.

For the Democrats in Election 2010, they have the record of the 111th Congress. If people like what bills they passed, well they might have a shot of keeping their seats. But if they ignore the protesters who opposed Government Run health care and Business' that worry about cap and Trade, then comes the whirlwind.

What about Election 2012?

If these three questions are not answered, President Obama becomes Former president Obama on January 20, 2013 (or the equivalent is Obama = Dinkins, my New Yorkers know that):

1) Has the unemployment rate dropped below 5% around the country?
2) Has President Obama kept America and her allies (i.e. Israel, UK, etc. et. al) safe from terrorist attacks?
3) Will President Obama learn that he works for the people not the other way around?

Tonight, I will have a Sam Adams beer and celebrate Senator Brown's victory.

My question: What Federal races should we look forward to this year?

Unless Coakley and the MA Dems cheat in the Counting Rooms, Here is why Senator Scott Brown (R-MA) will replace Sen. Kennedy (D-MA)

Now that we are 72 hours away from the vote, let me weigh in on the Massachusetts Senate race. First, donate to Scott Brown. Now is the time to help.

And here are the many reasons why Coakley deserves to lose:

1) The Push



A staffer from the National Democratic Senatorial Committee pushed a reporter from the Weekly Standard down. Coakly did nothing -- that shows how much support she has of Freedom of the press. None.

2. AG Coakley attacks Catholic health care Workers in MA; that's only 39% of the voters in MA.

3. Senatorial Candidate Coakley misspells her home state; And aren't the Right supposed to be the stupid ones?




4. AG Coakley's shoddy prosecution record. Read it and weep.

5. Coakley spending time on vacation and not debating Reed because she refuses to campaign for the seat. The Democrats believe the Senate seat belongs to them, not the people:



6. President Obama campaigns for Coakley and cannot fathom why the Democrats are falling down in 2010. Hint: Since 2006, Democrats run Congress and since 2008, Democrats own both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue. You can't continue to blame Bush for anything, yet they still do. The question on voters minds this November: With this high unemployment, who is running things? It ain't the GOP!

7. And finally, Coakley goes after the all important New York Yankee vote at Fenway Park. Someone's been reading Tip O'Neill, and it's not Coakley. Dissing Curt Schilling does not help your campaign.




So, first read RS' trip to MA.
Second, follow Professor Jacobson's Blog diary of the campaign.
Third, send money to Scott Brown to help put the people in the Counting Rooms to make sure their is a clean victory.
And finally, Call or Volunteer.

What happens if Senator Brown wins? Simple, Obama's policies hit a very large speedbump. And unless President Obama actually has proof of his bi-partisanship, he will be a one term President.

If there was ever a Time to help the Valley, Now is the Time: Please Hit the Tip Jar

Like most Bloggers (Pam and RS, for example) this season, the Valley has been struggling along. While the Fundraiser is close to getting started, there still needs to be an influx of help to get me to that point.

So, yes, I am asking for help this minute before I get back to Political Blogging. If you can, please hit the Tip jar for $20, $50, $100, $200, or $250 (or more if you can). Thank you.

Before anything can get done right now, please Hit the Tip Jar.

Update (1/16/10 9:10 AM): Thanks to David M-B for the first donation!

Thank you.

While you help, please enjoy some Old Rat Packers doing some good:



Thanks for any help you can give.

Old Testament Hollywood: Seeing the Book of Eli

Wow. Just wow.

I just saw the Book of Eli at the Arclight (for free!) and I just have to say The Hughes Brothers did a great job filming the post-apocalyptic America with Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman.

Most Hollywood does not deal with faith, either testament or if they must deal with Judeo-Christan ethos, it is usually to be mocked. Not here.

The story is simple: A wanderer (Denzel Washington) in a destroyed America is carrying a mysterious book and trying to get "west," Along the way, he encounters a warlord named Carnagie (Gary Oldman) who is searching for a book; It turns out the book the wanderer is carrying is the same out of print book that Carnagie is looking for. Solara, played by Mila Kunis, sees the dynamic between Carnagie and the Wanderer and chooses sides in this Dying World. Her blind mother. Claudia (Jennifer Beals) is Carnagie's mistress. The irony is, Carnagie is a bibliophile in a world where people don't read and Claudia can't.

The Book of Eli is a New testament parable written with Old testament characters. The Wanderer is a prophet in this dying world, praying and reading where others cannot. He hears the voice of G-d within him (told in a tale, not done cheesily with special audio effects), telling him to find the book after the End (or as they call it in-film "Before,") and to take it "West,"

Denzel Washington plays his character with a coolness that is lacking in the dying world. When he enters a scene, it becomes his. And with Gary Oldman? He plays a villain with depth, and he learns the old lesson, you can't win the world sometimes without losing your soul. Oldman eats up each scene with flair. His aide-de-camp is played by Ray Stephenson (Pullo in HBO's Rome). Kudos as well. Kunis takes her character and makes it work. And it was good seeing Beals again on the big screen.

Most screenwriters follow a set path with Three Acts, a protagonist and an Antagonist, all very cookie cutter if you see enough films. What makes Book of Eli stand out is the Twist after Act Two. It is a Sixth Sense Twist that you will want to watch the movie over again for the signs.
I would recommend Book of Eli to sci-fi fans, Social Conservatives and those who have read the Torah. Again, after Act Two, it blows you away.

Wander through dystopian America to see Book of Eli.

Help Haiti Now

Wyclef Jean, the musician set up a charity fund to help the Haitian people. Given the news this morning about the 7.0 earthquake, it is time to step up and help.

Here is a link to Yele, Wyclef's charity. Please donate.

And here is 60 Minutes interviewing Wyclef on his good deeds for Haiti (transcript).

Karma, Racism and a Challenge to Ta-Nehisi Coates

When news of Senator Reid's words hit the Blogosphere, my first thought was, "This is karma," As it did for every other Conservative and Republican Blogger and activist.

This was a chance for the Progressives, Liberals and Democrats to show that there is one standard for everyone in Politics. And like NOW during the accusations of Sexual Harassment against a Democratic President, the Congressional Black Caucus and other African American Liberals took a pass. Again.

I had a discussion with my ex, Toni while we were coming back from the wait in Hollywood. She's progressive but open-minded, but she understood where I came from on this issue. And for her, race is a personal issue (We have thrown jokes back on forth on that issue at a dinner at Outback -- I've never laughed so hard, neither has she). What offended her about Reid's comment was the paternalism of it.

When Senator Lott made his comments at Senator Thurmond's birthday, he was forced out. Now Southern Culture should be respected in America as African American culture (there was more to the South then Slavery and the Stars and Bars, you hear me RS?), but among "Right thinking," Liberals, African American culture outweighs Southern culture. I say they both contribute to the Gumbo Pot that is America.

Clifton B., always on point, noted that Senator Reid would never have to pay for his words. He was right. Patterico noted how it was fine for Senator Reid to slander Justice Thomas and no African American Orginization stood up then. And I like Justice Thomas. The hypocrisy of what Democrats can do and the rest of us can do will cost them seats in November.

One of the Lefty Blogs I read is Ta-Nehisi Coates when I want to see the hypocrisy of Liberalism. I read this:

"Leaving aside political cynicism, this entire affair proves that the GOP is not simply still infected with the vestiges of white supremacy and racism, but is neither aware of the infection, nor understands the disease. Listening to Liz Cheney explain why Harry Reid's comments were racist, was like listening to me give lessons on the finer points of the comma splice. This a party, rightly or wrongly, regarded by significant portions of the country as a haven for racists. They aren't simply having a hard time re-branding, they don't actually understand how and why they got the tag,"

And this:

"The cynicism is deplorable, but not surprising. It's the brazen ignorance--the not knowing what you don't know--that amazes. It's embarrassing. In this instance at least, Cheney combines the moxie of a decorated PhD, with the ignorance of a slack-minded amateur whose lost her Cliff Notes,"

And I have a three questions to ask TNC:

Mr. Coates,

Given that you do not know the differing branches within Conservative and Republican Politics [Read the link if you want to learn], given that nothing a Conservative or Republican does is ever good enough to wipe the stain of a forty year old stain ("Southern Strategy,"), and given that Democrats are always given a pass whatever they say or do, here are three questions, please answer them:

1) In certain high Minority, consistently Democratic party areas, the crime to job ratio is high, why do you continue to promote the same Party that created the local problems (i.e. Speaker O'Neill "All Politics is Local,")?

2) After reading about the views of different branches of the Conservatives and Republicans, address how trying to be "Color Blind," is a bad thing? And what Conservatives and republicans can do as Conservatives and Republicans (without saying "Be like Liberals,") to bridge the gap?

3) Why is Anti-semitism and Anti-Isreali rhetoric, as done by Andrew Sullivan, allowed by the Left? Why don't you [TNC] stand up and say "this is wrong,"?

And TNC, if you answer these, send me any questions you want. Who knows, how hard is it to bridge a divide?

And even if TNC does not answer, I would like to hear your answer.

UPDATE: Rather then try to answer the questions above, TNC goes after Social Conservatives. I expected better. Hey, TNC! Not all Republicans and Conservatives are Social Conservatives! Try opening your mind!

Back in the Saddle

Monday's excitement (the selling of the Fundraising/Blogger proposal) had me wired until 2:45AM -- yes, I couldn't sleep on Monday night. (Why doesn't Cartoon Network put Squidbillies and Frisky Dingo on at Midnight?)

Now, caught up on sleep and I'll be doing some Blog posts today. Meet the Candidate #2 will be posted tomorrow.

Ready? Let's go!

Enjoy some music while I write:

For Those Who waited in Line to see "Book of Eli," but never got in

I waited in line with my ex, Toni. Tonight was also the premiere, so traffic on Hollywood Boulevard was nuts.

However, the line stretched down Orange Drive with people waiting (with their approved passes) to see "Book of Eli,"

At the Chinese Theatre, they only had room for the premiere and a little for the public who ordered their passes.

And when the line was shut down, those involved said there will be a screening on Thursday at the Arclight. I came home and there were no passes available. Whisky tango Foxtrot? Whose to blame?

Two companies, contact and call them for your complaints. If you spent time waiting to see a film and didn't see it even though you did everything right. It is because the Event organizers didn't have their shit together, it's not the audiences fault. Who are the Event organizers?

1) Warner Brothers. Contact them here. I've been to Universal, Disney, Sony and MGM screenings. Yet, the studio that treats their audiences like crap is Warner Brothers. Ask around Hollywood -- Warner Brothers is not well loved among those who are not the WB "Elite,"

2) THA. They are in charge of GoFobo website. If you don't get to go to a screening even though you printed up your pass and waited patiently, and still didn't get in, ask them here.

As soon as I see "Book of Eli," I will review it in the Valley.

Do NOT Support any candidate that Hires Steve Schmidt!

The first law of Politics is Loyalty. Telling tales behind a candidate's (or former candidates back) is anathema unless said candidate has been six feet under for about a decade. Steve Schmidt is not loyal. Period.

Watch and cringe (transcript):


Watch CBS News Videos Online

As mentioned earlier in the Valley (1, 2), when has Anderson Cooper ever tried to understand Conservatives and Republicans? In this piece, he is using a source ready to attack a Republican Candidate.

Cui Bono?

And why doesn't Former Governor Romney stand and defend Former Governor Palin? If he's willing to attack (through proxies) now, what will he do during the primary season? Has he forgotten Reagan's Eleventh commandment?

Here is what our activists should do:

1) Here is Steve Schmidt's office Address.
2) Find out what campaigns he is working on -- then tell each candidate, that unless Schmidt is fired from their campaign, they will not get any funds or votes.
3) Repeat as necessary until Schmidt is residing in Switzerland blocked from helping any campaigns West of the Rhone River.

By neglecting the idea of loyalty (or keeping problems 'In House'), Schmidt should be made Persona Non Grata among Conservative and Republican activists.

America's Last Living Gonzo Journalist: Robert Stacy McCain

"But what was the story....Free Enterprise. The American Dream...Do it now: pure Gonzo Journalism," -- Hunter S. Thompson, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, pg. 12.

Or you can watch this scene from Where the Buffalo Roam (NSFW):



RS McCain stayed over and wrote about the BCS game (ROLL TIDE!) here, here and here. And yes, he did experience Fear and Loathing in Burbank.

When it comes to friends and family, Martin Luther King, Jr's quote comes to mind:

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

He came out to Los Angeles and Orange County on a wing and a Prayer and met many Bloggers and activists. Even while he was away, he was attacked by a lesser Blogger. No one can ever ask the Gonzo Journalist if he was dedicated to the cause, he was. But he also respects and loves the Jews (in the Diaspora and in Israel) unlike some writers at The Atlantic magazine I can mention. And his protege, who has yet to chastise his mentor for the Anti-Jew remarks.

That is why RS stands miles above Conor or Frum.

Like a typical journalist, he smokes heavily and was always connected to the doings in the Right Blogosphere. He is, what is known as a "Connector," Mock him at your peril. Driving from Costa Mesa to Griffith Park by way of the Sepulveda pass, I saw Smitty and RS write a post on the road. That is dedication.

He saw my fundraising proposal and is helping with it. (meeting on Monday @11:00 AM -- wish me luck). Underneath the good ol'boy exterior is a dedicated journalist looking to write about the American Dream. Something Andrew Sullivan knows nothing about.

Why hasn't he been picked up by the Washington Post Editorial Page? Because they don't understand RS' mission:

"You found the American Dream?" he said, "In this town?
I nodded. "we're sitting on the main nerve right now," You remember that story the manager told us about the owner of this place [Circus-Circus]?How he always wanted to run away and join the Circus when he was a kid?"
Bruce ordered two more beers. he looked over the casino for a moment, then shrugged. "Yeah, I see what you mean," he said. "Now the bastard has his own circus...."
...
"Absolutely," I said. "It's pure Horatio Alger..."
-- Hunter S. Thompson, Fear And Loathing in Las Vegas, pg. 191.

When RS is coming your way, he is looking for the American Dream. R.S. McCain, America's last Living Gonzo Journalist.

My question: What is The American Dream? And was Hunter S. Thompson right?

Of all the Bloggers of Los Angeles, The LA Times picks Charles Johnson?! Whisky Tamgo Foxtrot?!

RS showed me this article by James Rainey highlighting Charles Johnson of Little Green Footballs.

Yeah fine, showcase a Blogger who moved Left to Right to Left (and attacking Jewish Bloggers and others along the way).

Hey, James Rainey and Editors of the LA Times, here's a hint, free of charge: There are Left Bloggers in Los Angeles and there are Right Bloggers in Los Angeles. I've had the pleasure of meeting Aaron Proctor and his foothill crew (when he lived in Pasadena), Dan from Gay Patriot and others. Knock on their doors and call them. Their are more honest Bloggers then Chales Johnson. Yours truly, for instance.

Last I checked, the LA Times is not being subscribed to in many parts of the County -- why is that? Could it be that in every Political Article, the LA Times leans Left every time.

There are many great activists on the Right who have never been highlighted, I think of the late Marcia Tookey, Gary Aminoff, Jane Barnett and Matt Robbins. There have been no reporters showing up in the San Fernando Valley interviewing Conservative activists. Again it shows how little the LA Times cares for Two party politics, and the San Fernando valley (It doesn't care for either).

My questions: If you live in Los Angeles, do you trust the LA Times? If you are a Right Blogger in Los Angeles, has the LA Times ever contacted you?

By the way, if you do live in Los Angeles, let the LA Times know of a single Blogger in Burbank who changed the course of State Republican Politics -- That would be the Valley. And yes, the Valley is the source of the Town hall Protests last year. The LA Times is blind to these things.

Let us open their eyes.

hanging with Robert Stacy (The Other) McCain in Burbank and Pasadena!

From political work, to Blogging and College Football, this is a busy week.

Will I get to Blogging? Maybe by Saturday night.

For now read this link, to show you where I was tonight.

ROLL TIDE!

Busy Week Ahead -- Say a Prayer for Me

When I'm not in cyberspace pontificating, I am an actual partisan in Real Time.

Tomorrow, my fundraising proposal (1.0) will be seen by the most important person I need to show it to. I've already sold the Speaker of the Event [Person speaking will be made known when it gets off the ground] and my mentor Gary Aminoff. The Political Director of the California Republican Party [CRP] is the last person I need to show it to (plus some other work as well). So, say a prayer and wish me luck. I hope he sees the benefits.

Plus I'm helping out my local candidate for Congress as well.

If all goes well, I'll post the news. Hopefully, I'll have an office (albeit small) on Magnolia Boulevard where the CRP is. Mr. Robbins, I am able to do the fundraiser and a few other things too (all can be found in the Valley).

After the decision, a few posts are coming this week:

1) Meet the candidate #2
2) The List of 25: The Advanced Class
3) Some Current Events story to break down or Leftist to laugh at.

Again, say a prayer and wish me luck.

Update 1/6 : the meeting will take place on Monday at 11:00 AM at the State party offices. Back to blogging, but still a busy week.

While you wait, a tune:

Best Posts of 2008 and 2009

There is a reason why I'm consolidating the best Posts of 2008 and 2009. The answers are in the Blog posts. Read and Enjoy!

Best Posts of 2008

The Valley in 2008 was small, but there were lively conversation by a series of Bloggers (Two of whom don't Blog politically anymore :{ ). here are some posts from that iteration. The year was abridged, but the answers are found in the best Posts of 2009.

10. Censorship by the Left at the LA Book Festival.
9. If Democrats can't run their own primary, how can they run the country?
8. The Wet Quintet Primaries -- Of all the joint posts last year, this is looked at the most.
7. Jargon from the Valley -- or "What the hell does JSF mean when he writes that?"
6. Bi-partisan ship and the Uruk-hai Cycle (1, 2, 3) -- If Senator Obama only read these posts....
5. How I Switched from being a Liberal Democrat to Conservative Republican (1, 2, 3)
4. What Partisans do -- Clearing up some confusion
3. How to Debate a Republican in Hollywood -- Or Anywhere else.
2. Democrat's hypocrisy over Dictators -- How right I was!
1. Democrats = INGSOC because of their Two Minute Hates of Republican Emmanuel Goldsteins

Best Posts of 2009

I came back to Blogging this year with stories of what happened. Even though the Commentators are few, the links are stronger (Riehl World View and RS McCain [B and WP]). What happened? And the fun of being a Conservative Goth Blogger in opposition. Enjoy these posts!

20. My Mom and my Sister, two great people!
19. Endorsing Governor Palin for 2012
18. Understanding Afghanistan before President Obama.
17. Two stupid Leftists: Frank Rich and Kathy Kattenberg
16. Avery Cates, read him!
15. Republicans and the coming Technological Singularity. And why Google and Wikipedia should support the Tea Partiers, Conservatives and Republicans.
14. The stupidity of Anderson Cooper, Steve Benan and Rachel Maddow (1, 2) Scooby snacks!
13. The coming American Second Civil War unless Democrats and Obama stop the hate!
12. The Plague Year (or what happened in 07 and 08) and Shaking the Disease (or why Government Run Health Care is bad for you). Life and policy running together.
11. Campaigning and two Los Angeles Goth Clubs. Yes, I'm a Poligoth (A political guy and Goth).
10. Why Blog Fights on the Right are stupid! And those who did Flunk Flank. Thank you Mel Brooks!
9. Andrew Sullivan, his America and his hatred of Jews. And his protege supports both. DEPORT ANDREW SULLIVAN!
8. The Left does not support American Democracy when things don't go their way.
7. Stephen Colbert -- Tool.
6. Obama's breaking coalition. Obama losing in 2009 and 2012.
5. Is Obama really Harold Saxon? This is before "The End of Time,"
4. The differences between Politicians, Presidents and Statesmen.
3. The CIA vs. Obama (Instalanche!) and the CIA vs. Pelosi.
2. The First Round of Republican Encyclicals (Cycles 1, 2, 3) -- the cause of the Town hall protests, more in 2010.
1. The List of 35 -- if you aren't working this list, you don't want to win in 2010 and 2012! The List of 25 is coming this week. That is the Advanced Class.

Which posts do you like from each year? What do you hope to see in the Valley this year?

And while you think on that, here is some cool music to enjoy. A song I hear when I'm at the Goth Clubs, "Swamp Thing," by Chameleons UK:

Catching Up...

Today is the seven year anniversary of my dad's death. While he is gone, I try to make him proud.

For now, I have two years of best of Lists to do tonight. The night of the Valley's first Instalanche!

Ready? Let's go!

New Year's Eve 2010

I'm going to spend a quiet New year's with my family.

On the first day of the New Year, the best posts of the Valley 2008 and 2009 will be posted.

Why no decade lists? Because I start the decade lists when the year starts 01 (i.e. 1990 - 2000, 2000 - 2010, etc. et. al). Enjoy the end of the Governing Year and beginning of the Campaign Year.

For now, enjoy this video of The Ramones, some old Forest Hills kids who went to my High School who got big.

Happy New Year to you and your family and friends. Next year, the fun really begins.

While President Obama dreams of Sulla and Pompey, the CIA Fights back

The Left, for a long time, has made the Intelligence Networks the Enemy. For all the fulminations about the leak against one well placed Office based Agent during the last administration (leaked by Colin Powell's Deputy at State, Richard Armitage), Democrats and Liberals have set up the Central Intelligence Agency [CIA] as the font of all Geo-political Evil on Earth.

No, the CIA is not perfect. Look at Iran in 1953 or Chile in 1973. Then again, their bosses, the Commander in Chief, believed in a Nixonian foreign policy. President Bush believed in Wilsonianism, so the CIA was not used to get "Dictators who love us," It could happen with President Obama, but maybe not. Read on.

Do you remember Senator Obama? Here is what he said about the CIA from the Senate floor about Michael Hayden on May 25, 2006 (h/t Congressional Record):

Mr. OBAMA. Mr. President, let me start by saying that the nomination of General Hayden is a difficult one for me. I generally, as a rule, believe the President should be able to appoint members of his Cabinet, of his staff, to positions such as the one General Hayden is nominated for without undue obstruction from Congress.

General Hayden is extremely well qualified for this position. Having previously served as head of the National Security Agency and as Deputy Director of National Intelligence under John Negroponte, he has 30 years of experience in intelligence and national security matters. And he was nearly universally praised during his confirmation to Deputy DNI.

There are several members of the Intelligence Committee, including Senator Levin, who I hold in great esteem, who believe General Hayden has consistently displayed the sort of independence that would make him a fine CIA Director.

Unfortunately, General Hayden is being nominated under troubling circumstances, as the architect and chief defender of a program of wiretapping and collection of phone records outside of FISA oversight. This is a program that is still accountable to no one and no law.

Now, there is no one in Congress who does not want President Bush to have every tool at his disposal to prevent terrorist attacks--including the use of a surveillance program. Every single American--Democrat and Republican and Independent--who remembers the images of falling towers and needless death would gladly support increased surveillance in order to prevent another attack.


But over the last 6 months, Americans have learned that the National Security Agency has been spying on Americans without judicial approval. We learned about this not from the administration, not from the regular workings of the Senate Intelligence Committee, but from the New York Times and USA Today. Every time a revelation came out, President Bush refused to answer questions from Congress.

This is part of a general stance by this administration that it can operate without restraint. President Bush is interpreting article II of the Constitution as giving him authority with no bounds. The Attorney General and a handful of scholars agree with this view, and I do not doubt the sincerity with which the President and his lawyers believe in their constitutional interpretation. However, the overwhelming weight of legal authority is against the President on this one. This is not how our Constitution is designed, to give the President unbounded authority without any checks or balances.


We do not expect the President to give the American people every detail about a classified surveillance program, but we do expect him to place such a program within the rule of law and to allow members of the other two coequal branches of Government--Congress and the judiciary--to have the ability to monitor and oversee such a program. Our Constitution and our right to privacy as Americans require as much.

Unfortunately, we were never given the chance to make that examination. Time and again, President Bush has refused to come clean to Congress. Why is it that 14 of 16 members of the Intelligence Committee were kept in the dark for 4 1/2 years? The only reason that some Senators are now being briefed is because the story was made public in the newspapers. Without that information, it is impossible to make the decisions that allow us to balance the need to fight terrorism while still upholding the rule of law and privacy protections that make this country great.

Every democracy is tested when it is faced with a serious threat. As a nation, we have had to find the right balance between privacy and security, between executive authority to face threats and uncontrolled power. What protects us, and what distinguishes us, are the procedures we put in place to protect that balance; namely, judicial warrants and congressional review. These are not arbitrary ideas. They are not new ideas. These are the safeguards that make sure surveillance has not gone too far, that somebody is watching the watchers.


The exact details of these safeguards are not etched in stone. They can be reevaluated, and should be reevaluated, from time to time. The last time we had a major overhaul of the intelligence apparatus was 30 years ago in the aftermath of Watergate. After those dark days, the White House worked in a collaborative way with Congress through the Church Committee to study the issue, revise intelligence laws, and set up a system of checks and balances. It worked then, and it could work now. But, unfortunately, thus far, this administration has made no effort to reach out to Congress and tailor FISA to fit the program that has been put in place.

I have no doubt that General Hayden will be confirmed. But I am going to reluctantly vote against him to send a signal to this administration that even in these circumstances, even in these trying times, President Bush is not above the law. No President is above the law. I am voting against Mr. Hayden in the hope that he will be more humble before the great weight of responsibility that he has not only to protect our lives but to protect our democracy.

That was Senator Obama threading the needle about Executive Power and Intelligence work.

President Obama started this year by moving KSM to have a trial in New York City. The trial will not go after KSM and his compatriots, but the Bush Administration and those who worked for them in Guantanamo Bay. Who had jurisdiction over getting information out of the prisoners? The CIA.

Recently, the Obama Administration gave more power to INTERPOL overriding our Intelligence networks sovereignty. Could INTERPOL go after any Agents active in Afghanistan, Iraq or Iran during the past 8 years?

And lest you think 2008 was all smiles and flowers between Senator Obama and the US Intelligence Networks, Obama spent the election campaigning against the CIA.

Now let's wind the clocks back to the Christmas Plane Bomber. The CIA met the father and knew for six weeks prior.

The CIA is a bureaucracy and a fighting force; if they feel disrespected by an Administration, they will use their tools to go after the Administration. Period. How many leaks did the CIA give to the New York Times during the last administration?

While President Obama forgets the lessons of Sulla and Pompey about destroying a Republic (Hint: You don't send your partisans after the last guy; You chart your own path or Civil War erupts), there is pushback. If Former Vice President Cheney was wrong, wouldn't the higher level CIA operatives have complained when he speaks? Not one has gone to the mats to defend Obama, but they remain quiet on Cheney.

Quick! Someone poll the CIA on which Administration has their back!

The CIA does not declare war openly, but they defend themselves well. Unless President Obama openly and quietly defends the Intelligence Networks of this country, they might turn another blind eye. And while it might hurt the Administration, it will hurt civilians too.

Heck, the CIA has already gone to war against Speaker Pelosi. The Tea Party Movement definitely had some help, not unlike Iran in 1953 -- and they want to vote out incumbents, weakening her power. And the polls for 2010 look good for the opposition. Hmmmm......

This is a two sided question, those within the Intelligence community (answer anonymously if you must, but I can track if you are real by the StatCounter) and those outside. While everyone parties in the New Year, you can think upon this.

For those outside: Do you think the Obama Administration understands the Intellegence Community? What will be the fallout if he doesn't?

For those inside (Domestic or overseas): How do you feel about President Obama? If you are overseas, do you feel secure? if you are an analyst, do you think President Obama understands your work?

Happy New Year!

Update 1/3/10: Welcome Instapundit readers! Visit the Valley. Check out the Best Posts for 2008 and 2009. If you like what you see, follow, subscribe or hit the Tip-jar. Thanks for visiting, tell your friends.

Say a Prayer

The night my dad died, I got a call saying his heart gave out. Now, the news is Rush Limbaugh is in a Hawaiian Hospital for the same thing.

Those of us who learned from the Old School Politicos knows that other Americans who disagree are not the ENEMY, but our opponents. Yes, there is a difference. Opponents argue, then share a drink afterword; Enemies fight until the death and then afterword. I have yet to see a Liberal say any kind words about their American opponents, but they thrive with America's enemies (like Iran).

Read Dana Losch's twitter. Read it.

Now read this Althouse post.

Rush is a communicator of the Right. It is his job. But those who wish him ill wish the Right to shut up. I say "No,"

Now is the time for President Obama to show his "bi-partisan," bonafides. If he doesn't show up at the hospital or issues no statement, then he lied in 2008. But we on the Right knew that already.

Duran Duran sang it best:

This one is for Donald Douglas: Why Eric Golub is a Good Partisan but Lousy Blogger

This Blog post came from an email conversation I had with Professor Donald Douglas (DD, or the Daredevil of the Right Blogosphere); It came from his Blog Wars post (what I wrote there will be a post next year).

DD said this during the email conversation: "I do think you should write about this publicly, as I do with all of my blogging debates," So, I will.

I am going to remain true to my earlier statement of "No Blog Fights to the Right (except for tactics and strategy)," This is close to it, so pay attention. Just because Rule 4 of RS says make enemies, I only make enemies of the weak kneed so-called Republicans and those of the Left. I hate wasting valuable Blogging space arguing with the Right. It serves no purpose.

The context of the story is simple. While I was writing the Cycles of Republican Encyclicals, I was sending them out to an email list that consisted of Capitol Hill staff, Bloggers and Campaigners. Eric Golub would use the email list (without asking) to promote his Blog. I emailed him a few times privately, and he saw nothing wrong with what he did. Then I chastised him using the list, losing contacts during the argument. Thanks Eric for not asking.

Here is how I wrote it to DD:

When I was in DC in 1996, I worked for a summer at a List company. There were very specific rules when handling lists.

1. You cannot sell the original list without some benefit to the original owner;
2. If you were to use the list freely, there was a potential for you to be sued by the original purveyor of the list.

Why the tightness on lists? Because they were being shared around to raise funds for candidates. You could not take someone's list and use it for your own without acknowledging or paying the original purveyor of the list (i.e. you help one candidate, you get dunned for helping more -- they sell the list).

When I put together the list for the beginning of the Republican Encyclicals, it was created as a discussion to to counter the "JournaList," created by Ezra Klein. I found the names, I put it together. It wasn't about just selling Blog posts to those on there -- it was "I have tactical ideas here to win, are they feasible for your situation?"

Then EG started using the email lists. I have family and friends on the lists because they were interested as well. I didn't like hearing from family that they were being spammed by someone they did not know. I went private 6 times in my email saying, "just ask before use,"

There was no asking.

Some of my relatives and friends on that list were seeded even though they are not on the Right, they just wanted to see my focus again post-plague year. EG was taking a list I created and spammed family and friends with it.

I tried privacy first, then I tried using the list to say: stop. Nothing worked. Then my health problems occurred again and I stopped using the list.

My Mom and my late father's best friend did not like getting spammed by EG.

All I wanted, before he jumped on a list I worked on, was for him to ask, "Please my I use the list?" I would have said yes, and I would have promoted his stuff. The attitude I have about lists (Bloggers who create a list for others to hear from) is to ask before using, or speak to only one person on it.

And that, DD, is the explanation. I didn't want to waste my time on the Blog attacking EG when I could have attacked Andrew Sullivan.

Now Eric will be speaking at the San Fernando Valley Republican Club in January, I recommend seeing him. My problems is his lack of Blogger courtesy.

His Blog opens on "Eye of the Tiger," Cool, but unless you work in the Industry, I'm not sure how cool it is to have music blasting when you open a Blog. Secondly, he has no Hyperlinks. What are hyperlinks?

This: Read American Power daily in your Blog diet!

Not: Read American Power daily in your Blog diet! http://americanpowerblog.blogspot.com/

The above is why Blogs are Blogs, the lower makes it look sloppy.

Eric fights the good fight, this is all constructive criticism. If he wants to be respected, respect other peoples lists and use the Hyperlinks in your Blog.

OK, I'm done. I only want to hear from Eric Golub and Donald Douglas in the comments. Thank you.

When Fictional Things Invade My Workspace

We are all knowledgeable about some facet of the world. Some Religion, some certain regions of the world, others Hollywood or Bollywood; My taste is Politics and Policy from the Right (having started on the Left).

There are two things I enjoy when I am offline (among other things): Marvel Comics and Doctor Who. I met Stan Lee at a Comic Convention with my dad back in 82; Now Stan Lee lives in LA, so someone please forward this post to him.

Let's start with Marvel. Certain comics always go to the front of the line: X-Men (all branches), the Hulk and Moon Knight to name a few. Fantastic Four were too establishment for me and Spider Man just cried "wimp," I liked Spidey when he teamed up with others, same with any member of the Fantastic Four. (The best Spidey written came after House of M was over; For the FF, the Civil War had the best writing)

After the Secret Invasion by the Skrulls (shape-shifting aliens), Norman Osbourn, Spider-man's main enemy has risen into a position that combines running SHIELD (now HAMMER) and Secretary of Superhuman affairs (appointed by President Bush, confirmed by President Obama). In other words, Osbourn is publicly a hero, while the Marvel Universe understood he was a villain.

During the American Son storyline, there is a page where Wolverine and Spider Man compare President Bush to Osborne. Whisky tango Foxtrot?! Wolverine, who is a former veteran, couldn't say a few good words about Senator McCain (R-AZ), also a veteran. After the Superhero Civil war, now Marvel is saying all their heroes voted for Obama in 2008?!?!

Doesn't fit the storyline. Most of the heroes have been fighting with each other since Avengers: Disassembled. And then they all agreed on Obama. Please let Brian Michael Bendis know, that's a crock. Just because the writer is Liberal shouldn't every member of the Marvel Universe is.

I'd like to see how Nick Fury voted since 1968.

Now my other fictional thing, Doctor Who. Remember the "Sound of Drums?" Harold Saxon (The Master) killed President-elect Winters before the Year That Never Was. Now in "The End of Time, part 1," Obama is President (and is being cited as giving a speech to fix the economy on Christmas Day -- that really is science fiction) Say, President Winters is a Southern Republican, how does Obama become president?

We're looking at United States Constitutional Law here:

Let me quote Article II, Section 1, clause 3:

"The Electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by Ballot for two persons, of whom one at least shall not lie an Inhabitant of the same State with themselves. And they shall make a List of all the Persons voted for, and of the Number of Votes for each; which List they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the Seat of the Government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in the Presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the Certificates, and the Votes shall then be counted. The Person having the greatest Number of Votes shall be the President, if such Number be a Majority of the whole Number of Electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such Majority, and have an equal Number of Votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately choose by Ballot one of them for President; and if no Person have a Majority, then from the five highest on the List the said House shall in like Manner choose the President. But in choosing the President, the Votes shall be taken by States, the Representation from each State having one Vote; a quorum for this Purpose shall consist of a Member or Members from two-thirds of the States, and a Majority of all the States shall be necessary to a Choice. In every Case, after the Choice of the President, the Person having the greatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the Vice President. But if there should remain two or more who have equal Votes, the Senate shall choose from them by Ballot the Vice-President."

In other words, the President and Vice president need not be of the same Political party. The Electoral College would decide who came in first and second place. But that was Amended.

The 12th Amendment was passed in 1803, and ratified the next year:

AMENDMENT XII

Passed by Congress December 9, 1803. Ratified June 15, 1804.

Note: A portion of Article II, section 1 of the Constitution was superseded by the 12th amendment.

"The Electors shall meet in their respective states and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President, and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all persons voted for as Vice-President, and of the number of votes for each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate; -- the President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted; -- The person having the greatest number of votes for President, shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed; and if no person have such majority, then from the persons having the highest numbers not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as President, the House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, the President. But in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken by states, the representation from each state having one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from two-thirds of the states, and a majority of all the states shall be necessary to a choice. [And if the House of Representatives shall not choose a President whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth day of March next following, then the Vice-President shall act as President, as in case of the death or other constitutional disability of the President. --]* The person having the greatest number of votes as Vice-President, shall be the Vice-President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed, and if no person have a majority, then from the two highest numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose the Vice-President; a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States,"

There were other changes too, but given the budget that the BBC and Russell T. Davies had, they could have looked it up.

What made the old Doctor Who great, was that the Doctor for all his alien nature, still fought for Queen and Country with the Brigadier first, and then they worried what the rest of the world thought. The United Kingdom used to be an Empire and they knew more then the upstart Americans during the early iterations of the show. (yes, it was cool -- because of Doctor Who I studied up on the British Empire)

Now, Russell T. Davies is supplementing their Prime Minister with an American President. If I was British, I would be pissed off.

And I say this to all the fiction writers in books, TV and Movies, if you must bring politics into it, ASK! America is a two party System, I wish that, outside of us partisans (but the Left do not, that's another post), others would cheer on that fact. Use it. Even within the Republican party, there are differences.

But watching Hollywood, you would never know.

My question: Has some fictional book, TV or Movie talked about something you knew and then got it wrong?