Compassionate Conservative

I know that there are stories and facts that get blown out of proportion. It is a daily ritual for misinformation for countries like ours and governments to be completely FOS. It really just bothers me when it comes my way…and I have to deal with it.

For the moment I digress…

The flack over the renewal of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 is one of the most obscene gestures that have been allowed by this government and administration. I don’t take the seemingly ‘this will get done’ attitude that Eugene Robinson does in his opinion called “Bigotry Beneath the Fog”.

If we haven’t connected the dots on all the talk over the years of State’s Rights from the Republican Party, if we haven’t realized that they are hugging the Crucifix in one hand and stuffing their pockets with the money of the poor in the other, if we haven’t totally concluded that the war in Iraq was a war of vengeance to redeem a failed past presidency then we can believe that yes…the Voting Rights Ace will be renewed.

But mark my words…it was around eight years ago when the Republican Party started talking about the Voting Rights Act as being obsolete. And as Mr. Robinson points out in the end of the opinion… “our representatives ought to take a serious look at the irregularities that marred the presidential vote in Florida in 2000 and the allegations of unfair voting procedures in Ohio in 2004.” …they will be right on that one too…

Minimum Wage: 8 hrs a day at $5.15 = $41.20 untaxed. Average Cost of a gallon of Gasoline: $2.776 for the Midwest. The rate of inflation in the US is 4.17%. You might want to look up groceries…that is generally not included in inflation rates. Compassionate Conservative…its makes my heart fuzzy.

And for this we are really not too upset, we believe that some of this is for a higher purpose. We think we are going to save the world. I would suggest reading the Dan Froomkin articles from earlier this week.

Lastly, I need to take to task a glaringly dishonest link that was sent to me. I can denounce or explain away most of what is on this page. I was most curious over the tons of enriched uranium that was mentioned on the page. My suspicions were confirmed. This was materiel that had been there since 1991.

This is brought to you from the people who were going to restore honor and dignity back to Washington. How much dishonesty needs to be pushed until we finally realize that George W. Bush and Co. should be impeached? The Democrats need to get it together and go back to the roots of the “New Democrat” from the DLC and “it’s the message, stupid”.

Start looking for solutions…

On this Day I Complete My Thirty-Sixth Year

‘T is time this heart should be unmoved,

Since others it hath ceased to move:

Yet, though I cannot be beloved,

Still let me love !

My days are in the yellow leaf;

The flowers and fruits of love are gone;

The worm, the canker, and the grief

Are mine alone !

The fire that on my bosom preys

Is lone as some volcanic isle;

No torch is kindled at its blaze—

A funeral pile.

The hope, the fear, the jealous care,

The exalted portion of the pain

And power of love, I cannont share,

But wear the chain.

But ‘t is not thus -- ‘t is not here –

Such thoughts should shake my soul, nor

now,

Where glory decks the hero’s bier,

Or binds his brow.

The sword, the banner, and the field,

Glory and Greece, around me see !

The Spartan, borne upon his shield,

Was not more free.

Awake ! (not Greece – she is awake !)

Awake, my spirit ! Think through

whom

Thy life-blood tracks its parent lake,

And then strike home !

Tread those reviving passions down,

Unworthy manhood ! – unto thee

Indifferent should the smile or frown

Of beauty be.

If thou regret’st thy youth, why live ?

The land of honourable death

Is here: -- up to the field and give

Away they breath !

Seek out – less often sought than found –

A soldier’s grave, for thee the best;

Then look around, and choose thy ground,

And take thy rest.

Lord Byron

Missolonghi, January 22, 1824.

[Moore relates in the Life that on his last birthday Byron ‘came from his bedroom into the apartment where Colonel Stanhope and some others were assembled and said with a smile, “You were complaining the other day that I never write any poetry now. This is my birthday, and I have just finished something which, I think, is better than what I usually write.”’ -- The pathos and sincerity of the verses are echoed in Mangan’s The Nameless One, though the spirit of the two poems is not the same.]

Participation Awards


Sisyphus has spent several weeks plumbing the activities of critical brevity. I have not reached a conclusion on enough aspects to convene a piracy. Yet; I follow up on what I just read in the WaPo…a funny little article called Crumbling Before Putin. I don’t call it funny ha ha; but funny funny.

The article describes a Europe in defiance of the United States interest and blindly accepting power plays by the Russian government. I look at their activities with a raised eyebrow. Veep Dick Cheney gave a blistering speech awhile back…getting everyone excited about the harshness of the words. Bush effectively backed him up.

We look to that article and think for a moment. The United States has increasingly become a secondary player. Is it because we are hot heads? Trigger Happy? Paranoids? The list goes on and on. We have had some minor successes lately but I view Iran and North Korea to be the test points for this administration. Can they salvage the damaged reputation of American Foreign Policy (AFP) without having to bloody someone’s nose?

We can look at Europe and say they are sissies for their actions. We can also look to Europe and say they don’t think the USA represents their best interests and perhaps consider AFP slightly more provoking than Russian activities or Iranian philosophy.

Perhaps the pinheads in the Oval Offices have finally pushed too hard too far and not only do we have a Republican Rebellion in Congress; we also are witnessing the overall second place finish of AFP…and soon we might only receive one of those often vaunted participation awards…Here ya go Georgie –boy; Thanks for playing…

wet paint

I have to note something else in this little bit of dribble I can afford to spittle this afternoon; the Bull Moose Blog has recently spoken about the lack of support for the war by Democrats and the seemingly rush to retreat that some Democrats seem to sponsor. With that thought in mind and the evidence that Zawqari is dead; Americans need to be extremely careful about misreading this historic opportunity.

Iraq still is and will continue to be an extremely dangerous country that we must view with some prejudice. Hussein will be convicted shortly, Zawqari will be a memory and we will be tempted to take a victory lap and move on to the cruder pastures of Iran.

We have the military infrastructure built for the command assault of that burgeoning pain in the ass. But just because we think we have a wart on our fanny does not require us to be foolish.

As I mentioned above the Russians are playing an extremely delicate game of chess with us concerning our moves and motives in Iran. There is more at play here than nukes…and it sits in the Caspian Sea. If you follow this module back to 9/11 and the direct results…we are in the midst of an extremely dangerous set of circumstances.

American Reality… will be altered in the next several months… and remember that you heard it hear first. Gasoline we will recall was cheap at $2.90 a gallon. Electricity was a luxury…anything related to energy will seem to recall those old bread lines. (I’m being dramatic…) Yet; it is my belief that once the air raids start in Iran; once the ships send their missiles…the effect will be…more than we bargained for.

What will we have gained?

I say; stupid is as stupid does. We shouldn’t be too eager to leave Iraq; especially now. The vacuum is tremendous. If we start reducing troops we will be aiding the enemy. Yes, that’s right I said it. Yet, at the same time someone needs to step up with a policy. We should try harder to get a plan together that is Rational and Realistic. (I’m optimistic…there must be a pony in here somewhere…)

About 6 personnel were killed in this battle since Friday?

So, keep in mind: It’s still happening folks…if you care that is.


…bully…