Welcome one and all to the most intense nightly read anywhere on the sphere, and a recent addition to the Homeland Security Watch List [2]… BitsBlog’s Nightly Ramble
This is The Deluxe Cheeseburger edition
Before I get into the usual collections of quick takes, snarks and swipes, I want to take the opportunity to pass along some thoughts on tommmrow, because by the time tommrow’s Ramble goes up, the events will have already happened, and at least partially defined by the Dinosaur media.
Defined how, you ask? Tommorow being April 15th, we’re going to see a lot in the news about the malcontents gathering together to bitch about taxes. While it’s true that because of the Revolutionary history of the thing [3], Tea Parties are most usually associted with tax protests… and April 15th is a logical time for such protests to happen.
[1]Thing is, I don’t see the some 500 events I see listed around the country tomorrow as being about taxes,per se’, except in reflex. Rather, I see these protests as being about governmental growth and governmental spending, and frankly about a loss of freedoms generated by our own government… a government that until recently took seriously it’s oath to uphold those freedoms, by means of the constitution.
The Dinosaurs have been making mention of these events in derogatory fashion. If they have a bloody clue what the things are about, they’re avoiding telling their viewers about them for the most part. They know there’s a power there, that they don’t want to see winning the day, and so they ignore it, in hopes you will, too.
[4]Now, as I say as of the other day, when I found the list of events I have in hand, there were some 500 such events planned around the country. But I’m not going to pass along that list, and I’ll tell you why; As with most true grassroots happenings, this this has already grown way beyond that listing, and there will be much in the way of impromptu protesting going on, as well. Best way to find out where to go to get involved is to do a Google search. If you can’t find it there, look on places likeAltavista [5], instead. Instapundit’s been doing a fair job [6]of collecting these things, as has buddy Chuck Simmins at North Shore Journal [5].
I’m going to urge you; let your voice be heard. Ya know, to steal a cleche from Reynolds, they told me that Obama would unite us. And so he has, but not in the way I was told. We’ve begun to unite against the left in a way never seen before. And tommrow, not only will we all see this, we can be a part of it. Let’s remined the government who they’re suppsoed to be working for… because clearly, they’ve forgotten.
But the job doesn’t end, there. I’ll speak more on thatpoint, tommorow.
On to the usual Ramble doings.
- Michelle Malkin having problems: … with the website. repeated crashes. I wondered why I wasn’t getting my usual quota of backlinks from them. Now, I know. I doubt this is anything but malicious intent, given tommorow’s a huge day for the site. Oh, by the way, if you’re interested in the DHS document I snarked about, she has it here. [7] Which may be, come to think of it, another reason she’s getting attacked, eh?
- Mislabeng the problem, as usual: By way of frequent Limbaugh substitute Mark Hemmingway [8], I note the American Legion has responded to the document with a little fire. (About bloody time someone did)
The best that I can say about your recent report is that it is incomplete. The report states, without any statistical evidence, “The possible passage of new restrictions on firearms and the return of military veterans facing significant challenges reintegrating into their communities could lead to the potential emergence of terrorist groups or lone wolf extremists capable of carrying out violent attacks.”
The American Legion is well aware and horrified at the pain inflicted during the Oklahoma City bombing, but Timothy McVeigh was only one of more than 42 million veterans who have worn this nation’s uniform during wartime. To continue to use McVeigh as an example of the stereotypical “disgruntled military veteran” is as unfair as using Osama bin Laden as the sole example of Islam.
Your report states that “Rightwing extremists were concerned during the 1990s with the perception that illegal immigrants were taking away American jobs through their willingness to work at significantly lower wages.” Secretary Napolitano, this is more than a perception to those who have lost their job. Would you categorize union members as “Right Wing extremists”?..
Well, yes, and therein lies my argument that we’re seeing this thing mislabeled. It’s the union types that lose their jobs first to foreign competition, both domesticly and jobs shipped aboard. By that measure then, that’s where the most xenophobia comes from, as regards jobs and people who are pissed at losing them. But of course a leftisty government firmly in the pocket of the unions is never going to lean toward the truth in the matter. And there it is,people… the DHS is being used here by the Democrats for a political goal, plain and simple.
- Pirates: I’ve already written at some length on the topic [9]. Despite disagreements with a fair number of people, some of which I have great respect for, I remain unconvinced my initial take on the thing was/is incorrect. We’re going to be told that the increase in violence in the area is due to our killing the pirates holding Captain Phillips. Remember this; the context of that charge can be found in lesser amounts on any stable floor. The direct reason for any increase in violence in the area is the direct result of our not dealing with the situation as we should have been doing all along. Make no mistake, here, people; This stuff started under Obama, because his attitudes create an opening in which terrorists can work. As for Obama’s involvement in the supposed ‘direction’ of the rescue attempt.. Bunk. I said this yesterday and it bears repeating, because this subject won’t be off the radar for at least four years: Obama fouled this one up, gang. Period. No, I’m not “wishing for failure” as so many on the left will charge. Actually, I’m delighted at the outcome, as much as I would be if my five year old had flushed my money down the john, and it all floated back up. That doesn’t mean the path to the result was at all desireable or correct, or that my five year old deserves praise for his actions. Obama’s inactions (in the name of peaceful resolution, of course) was as likely to cause the death of Captain Phillips as to save his life. That’s an unacceptable gamble. If it all works, Obama gets to look like a peacemaker, and looks like a water walker again…. if the Navy manages to pull the extraction of Phillips off without a shot. As it happens, we had a field commander with the stones to take the lead. And, thank God for that. But now think;If conditions cause a failure in any way, does Obama take the hit, or does the military? You know as well as I, Obama’s not going to get any blame for a failure, here. And I’m supposed to sit back and smile and credit Obama for ANY of this? Sorry, no. I won’t do it. (And my the way, I should credit Joyner for mentioning this aspect [10]yesterday, though even he didn’t hit the nail as hard as needs be, I think. ) What happened,in the end, was sheer luck, and not leadership. It’s troubling that Obama and his followers don’t understand the difference. Troubling, too, that so many on the right are willing to give him a pass on this stuff. Trust me when I say to you, that I’m not so willing there, either. We are dealing, dear readers, with people who lose no opportunity, by their own words, to grow government with every crisis, real or imagined. We’re about to see that demonstrated, once again.
- By the way, I think Jonah Goldberg got this wrong, too. His readers, however, didn’t. [11]
- Facts/Krugman=(Error: Divided by zero) I’ve said it before and will continue to say it, so long as there’s anyone on the planet that claims Krugman is worth the air he consumes: The relationship between Krugman and facts is imaginary. [12] If Krugman were a blogger, he’d be one of a very few who would be able to give Glenn Greenwald a run for the money in the dishonesty department. (Longtime readers will understand the depth of that comment particularly well. ) And look, gang, when even Henke [13], who I have no great love for, can bitchslap Krugman into the middle of next Tuesday, … well.. You know Krugman’s backside is hanging out several miles.
- What wig will he wear at Sentancing? To the shock of nobody, Phil Spector was found guilty. [14] That’s a chapter I’d just as soon forget.
- Corruption from Jackson? Well, it looks that way [15].
Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s camp was told last year that U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) would raise up to $5 million in campaign cash for the ex-governor if he was appointed to President Obama’s U.S. Senate seat, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned.
The overture came from at least two members of the local Indian community who approached the Blagojevich fund-raising team last fall, sources say…
So, you tell me… who among you is shocked by this? Yeah… me, neither. What a grand, fair minded, and upright group of people, these Democrats are, huh?
- Blogo does what Blago does: Oh, speaking of all that, Blago pleaded not guilty [16] on corruption charges this afternoon.
[17]Rational? Look, Billy, if the other side is being, in your view, irrational.. and I agree they are… I submit the problem is that we’re accepting at face value that their goals are as stated. Take, as an example, your topic of gun control. [18] One simply cannot be dealing with the facts in a logical manner, while making the claim that removing legal guns from society will make us safer. Again, we seem to agree there. So, if we assume they’re not acting out of sheer stupidity, what would the reasoning behind their position be on the subject? The only way the argument becomes rational, is if we assume their goal, instead of the stated one, is to cripple our ability to defend ourselves.The same logic, I think applies itself rather well to what we see going on in government spending [19]. We simply cannot spend our way out of the current situation. We can only cripple ourselves. The most logical answer then to that situation is that Democrats are not about solving our problems… they’re about making them worse. To consider this otherwise is, well, irrational.