Copperheads: a flashback to the Democrats of 1864

 
Gateway Pundit has today's essential reading. Noting Howard Dean's quote --

When the other side's candidates get up, they look like the 1950s. And when they talk, they sound like they're from the 1850s.

-- GP goes medieval on Dean.

Democrats haven't changed a lick in 143 years as you can tell from this 1864 political cartoon by Thomas Nast.


...this very revealing 1864 campaign poster... described the uncanny comparisons to today's anti-war party:

1.) Showing the enemy soldier stronger and more resilient than our own. Here the Southern soldier (enemy) is upright and strong, the Northern (US) broken and dejected.
2.) The "useless war" on the tomb. Even then the pessimist couldn't see the righteousness of the conflict [against the scourge of slavery].
3.) The flag flown upside down in a distress display; even then they saw... only failure.
4.) The grieving widow.

...My, God! We know the outcome of that war, and if not for the strength and foresight of President Lincoln (and a new willingness for sacrifice from the soldiers) did the north come out victorious in the end. This poster was produced in 1864. The former battlefield failure General McClellan was running on the Democratic ticket as the peace promoter - a position opposite of the President... just like today.

...With the conclusion of the war in 1865 the Peace Democrats were thoroughly discredited. Most Northerners believed, not without reason, that Peace Democrats had prolonged war by encouraging the South to continue fighting in the hope that the North would abandon the struggle.

The Democratic party was not fit to run this country in 1864. And, the Democratic party is not fit to run this country today, either...

Dear Howard:

For over 164 years, the Democrat Party has proudly marched under the banner of weakness, surrender, and defeat. Hold your head high, loser.

Warmest Regards,

Doug

Bin Laden terrorizes 9/11 "Truther" movement

 
Usama Bin Laden has been reduced to begging the Allies to leave Afghanistan. In a rant that can only be described as hysterical, he claimed the Taliban knew nothing of his plans to level Manhattan and Washington. In so doing, he has shredded the hallucinations of the 9/11 conpiracy theorists.

Al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden called on the Europeans to stop helping the United States in the war in Afghanistan, according to excerpts of a new audiotape broadcast Thursday on Al-Jazeera television.


Bin Laden said it was unjust for the United States to have invaded Afghanistan for sheltering him after the 9/11 attacks, saying he was the "only one responsible" for the deadly assaults on New York and Washington.

"The events of Manhattan were retaliation against the American-Israeli alliance's aggression against our people in Palestine and Lebanon, and I am the only one responsible for it. The Afghan people and government knew nothing about it. America knows that," the al-Qaida leader said.

Now, perhaps, the 9/11 conspiracy theorists known as "Troofers" can focus their attention on the only real questions surrounding the attacks of September 11th.


That is, which material Sandy Berger removed from the National Archives... and why he destroyed it.

My Newspaper: buh bye, legacy media!

 
Bonus flashback post from January...


The Fedex truck pulled up this morning.


They dropped off my newspaper replacement. It's a very specialized printer called NewsPrinter.


You plug it in and then attach the USB jack to your computer.


Then watch your computer monitor.


A really cool application automatically starts and it interviews you. It asks just a few questions. What time each morning do you want your newspaper printed? How many pages? And do you want to preview an on-screen copy?


If you're okay with the layout, you quit. Elapsed time since Fedex arrived? About four minutes. When you wake up in the morning, your newspaper is already printed and waiting for you at the printer. And it's up-to-the-minute.


The software can even tell where you're located, so the Local section will default to your area.


Want to change the defaults? The software can actually step you through an easy configuration. Need coverage of your favorite football or baseball team? Just choose the team's logo from the list. The neatest thing about NewsPrinter? You can completely customize every aspect of the newspaper down to the tiniest detail.


Getting older? You can completely adjust the size of the typeface and headlines.


So who makes money from NewsPrinter? How's the business-model work? I'm not really sure, but the printer manufacturer didn't charge me for the printer. I pay for paper (of course) and special inkjet cartridges, the price of which I'll admit are slightly inflated.


The content is provided by blogging networks and, I think, the McClatchy news service. The news service has a partnership with the printer manufacturer and gets a cut of NewsPrinter ink cartridges.


I have two words for legacy media and the New York Times, specifically.

Buh. Bye.

Political Correctness and the First Amendment at risk

 
Investors' Business Daily interviews Rep. Susan Myrick (R-NC) regarding political correctness and the war on terror. Myrick strongly objects to the PC veil that prevents honest debate.

We should explore every means of encouraging moderate Muslims to speak out against the radicals. There are many who want to, and do — such as Sheikh (Muhammad Hisham) Kabbani (of the Islamic Supreme Council of America) and Zainab al-Suwaij (of the American Islamic Congress) and Dr. Zuhdi Jasser (of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy). But they do not get the media attention...

...We need to shed the veil of political correctness that shields government officials from speaking out against them... groups like [Council on Arab-Islamic Relations] CAIR seek to silence the debate. The American people deserve to see and hear the debate, but most people in positions of influence are afraid to say anything...

In that regard, Blogcritics' Selwyn Duke is one of only a handful of folks covering an important First Amendment case. CAIR has organized an advertiser boycott against controversial radio announcer Michael Savage and the stakes couldn't be higher. I say that no matter what you might think of Savage's diatribes: love 'em or hate 'em, he's got every right to express his opinion.

[CAIR has ] carried out campaigns against National Review magazine, radio personality Paul Harvey, the producers of the television program 24, and many others...

[Now] CAIR has been pressuring Savage's advertisers to pull their spots from his show, and I'm dismayed to learn that some businesses have capitulated to their demands. Among these cowardly companies are AutoZone, TrustedID, OfficeMax, Citrix Systems Inc., [Wal-Mart] and JCPenney...

Trade rag Radio Ink reports that a group called Act for America is taking its First Amendment message to consumers.

...Act for America, which says it "was created to provide American citizens a means to be a collective voice for the democratic values of Western civilization," is asking consumers to contact OfficeMax and tell the company they won't shop at OfficeMax stores until the ad boycott is lifted. The group plans to launch similar efforts targeted at other advertisers boycotting Savage Nation.

William Mayer reports that CAIR's "press conference" at San Francisco's AM 910 (Savage's flagship station) was attended by all of about seven people.

...Basim Elkarra, Executive Director of CAIR's Sacramento branch..., refused to condemn the terrorist group HAMAS, specifically and by name, when challenged to do so... though he was given ample opportunity.

CAIR carries some heavy baggage in this regard. Last summer, it was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation [HLF] prosecution and the founder of CAIR's Texas chapter, Ghassan Elashi, was found guilty and sentenced in the Infocom terror case. Elashi remains a key defendant in the HLF trial...

There's only one word for a group that refuses to condemn Hamas, is an unindicted co-conspirator in a major terrorism trial, and has had a variety of its members and executives run afoul of the law, all while pillorying Savage. It's chutzpah.

First they came for Savage. Who's next, Rush? And then Hannity? Then Colmes?

If Americans don't act now -- and I mean all Americans -- there's no telling where this might end. Someday, liberals might dominate talk radio. And they would be at risk as well.

Contact Information and Sample Letter

As for AutoZone, TrustedID, OfficeMax, Citrix Systems, [Wal-Mart] and JCPenney: my recommendation is to tell them why you're steering clear. I've linked each of the company's names to go directly to a contact form or customer email address - just click, paste, and send the following message or your own equivalent.

The advertising boycott of the Michael Savage Radio Show at the behest of unindicted co-conspirator CAIR is misguided at best. Multiple federal officials (including current members of Congress) have stated "we know [CAIR] has ties to terrorism."

A swarm of bloggers are jumping on this issue.

I ask, respectfully, that you reconsider this misguided political correctness.

Sincerely, _____________

Moronic Convergence: a Kucinich-Paul Ticket

 
LGF alerts us to a looming episode of Real World '08: a Kucinich-Paul ticket.

“I’m thinking about Ron Paul” as a running mate, Kucinich told a crowd of about 70 supporters at a house party here, one of numerous stops throughout New Hampshire over the Thanksgiving weekend. A Kucinich-Paul administration could bring people together “to balance the energies in this country,” Kucinich said.

Why, this would triple their chances of getting elected!

A bit of back o' the napkin math... let's see... 0.0000000000000000000001% * 3 is what?

China goes to Sesame Street

 
Earlier this year, China conducted an ominous anti-satellite weapons test, blowing one of their old weather satellites to pieces with a sophisticated missile. Analysts said that these weather satellites travel at about the same altitude as U.S. spy satellites; therefore the anti-missile test represented an indirect threat to critical U.S. defense systems.

And just how did the Chinese military acquire these advanced missile technologies? A glimpse into a timeline of donations and actions by the Clinton Administration -- as entered into the Congressional Record -- may help explain.

April 24, 1995: Loral chairman Schwartz gives $25,000 to the Democratic National Committee.

June 30, 1995: Schwartz gives $20,000 to Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which provide support for Democratic Senate candidates.

Aug. 30, 1995: Schwartz gives $75,000 to DNC.

Sept. 30, 1995: Schwartz gives $20,500 to DSCC.

Oct. 9, 1995: Secretary of State Warren Christopher decides satellites should remain a military munitions item.

Nov. 29, 1995: Schwartz gives $100,000 to DNC.

Nov. 29, 1995: A Chinese government agency writes Loral, asking for help in getting an upgrade for its dual-use imaging technology, exports of which are prohibited under U.S. sanctions.

Jan. 26, 1996: Loral is sold to Lockheed for $9 billion.

CLINTON APPROVES LAUNCH

Feb. 6, 1996: Clinton approves the launch of four communications satellites on Chinese rockets.

Feb. 6, 1996: Wang Jun of CITIC, owners of percentages in Chinese satellite companies, visits the White House for coffee and dines with Commerce Secretary Ron Brown.

Feb. 8, 1996: The White House and Commerce Department begin to talk about the satellite export issue again.

Feb. 14, 1996: A Chinese rocket carrying Loral Intelsat satellite explodes, destroying a Chinese village.

Feb. 15, 1996: Schwartz gives $15,000 to DSCC.

Feb. 15, 1996: The State Department gets an urgent request from the White House to speed up the process of switching the satellite licensing to the Commerce Department.

Feb. 29, 1996: Schwartz gives $50,000 to Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which bankrolls Democratic House candidates.

March 8, 1996: China launches missiles.

March 14, 1996: Clinton decides to move the satellite licensing function to the Commerce Department.

March 15, 1996: Loral President J.A. Lindfelt writes Commerce to say the export of a dual-use technology, known as synthetic aperture radar, is being held up by the Defense, State and Commerce departments.

April 1996: Schwartz announces the formation of Loral Space and Communications.

April 24, 1996: Schwartz gives $50,000 to DSCC.

June 10, 1996: Schwartz gives $100,000 to DNC.

July 22, 1996: Liu Chao-Ying of China Aerospace meets Clinton with Johnny Chung.

July 31, 1996: Schwartz gives $5,000 to DSCC.

INFLUX OF CHINESE MONEY

August 1996: Chung accounts show an influx of $300,000 from Liu Chao-Ying.

Aug. 18, 1996: Chung gives $20,000 to DNC to attend Clinton's birthday party.

Aug. 28, 1996: Chung gives $15,000 to DNC at Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

Sept. 16, 1996: Schwartz gives $30,000 to DSCC.

Sept. 20, 1996: Schwartz gives $20,000 to DSCC.

Oct. 16, 1996: Schwartz gives $10,000 to DSCC.

Oct. 18, 1996: Schwartz gives $70,000 to DNC.

Oct. 24, 1996: Schwartz gives $5,000 to DSCC.

Nov. 5, 1996: New guidelines on Commerce licensing of satellites are published.

Nov. 5, 1996: Clinton is elected to his second term as president.

Oct., 1997: A federal investigation of Loral begins.

Feb. 12, 1998: As Clinton ponders whether to sign another waiver allowing launch of a Loral satellite aboard a Chinese missile, National Security Adviser Sandy Berger sends him a memo saying the Justice Department `has cautioned that a national interest waiver in this case could have a significant adverse impact on any prosecution [of Loral] that might take place based on a pending investigation of export violation.'

But Berger adds that `the advantages of this project outweigh the risk,' and `it is inappropriate to penalize [Loral] before they have even been charged with any crime.'

Feb. 18, 1998: Clinton signs a waiver allowing Loral satellite to be lifted into orbit by the Chinese.

All told, Schwartz was the largest single contributor to Democrats during the 1996 election cycle. He and his wife contributed over $1.1 million to federal campaigns, almost all of which went to Democratic candidates and party committees.

So, not only did Democrats provide critical missile technology to the Chinese that directly threatens the United States -- they actively oppose the missile defense systems that would help protect us. You heard me right: even in an age of Kim Jong-Il and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Democrats oppose missile defense.

And that's precisely why the Democratic Party is accurately referred to as "the Sesame Street Party."

As for voting for Hillary Clinton or any Democrat? Consider yourself warned about their greed and the resulting consequences.

The GOP Platform I'd Like to See

 
These are the ten key planks I'd like to see.


*  Stronger national defense   - increase the size, capability and efficiency of our Armed Forces

*  Physical barriers at the border   - stop illegal immigration completely now. Did you hear me? Now!

*  Energy Independence   - open up ANWR and the OCS to exploration; aggressively pursue nuclear energy; and incent private industry to aggressively pursue clean, renewable energy sources.

*  English only   - the sole national language is English; it must be legal for all governmental entities and businesses to require English from its employees

*  Flat tax/Fair tax   - revamp the tax system and eradicate a tax code gone mad

*  Reduce the size of government   - provide "whistleblower-style" awards for reducing the size of government and task the IRS (which will no longer have to worry about enforcing the tax code) with achieving the reduction goals on an annual basis

*  Address health-care deficiencies   - with competitive, free-market solutions, not Government largesse

*  Death to earmarks   - they must go! Or their supporters must go.

*  Zero tolerance for Congressional corruption   - accelerate FBI investigations of Congress and remove all barriers for investigating corruption.

*  Use Quarterly Report Cards and Bully Pulpit   - anyone in the Executive Office ever heard of Powerpoint? Every quarter the President should get on prime-time TV and issue a report card on progress in the nine preceding areas. If Congress is lagging, he should use the bully pulpit to lobby the American people. And, for heaven's sake, use Powerpoint or some other highly graphical medium for getting the point across.

Update: thanks to Reliapundit for pointing out the omission on energy policy.

Do it (donate) for the children

 
The root-system connecting database marketer InfoUSA, its founder Vin Gupta, and the Clinton clan gets more exposed by the day. Yeoman's work by A Jacksonian offers essential background reading on the foul-smelling mess.


Among the revelations, a host of Clinton donors named Gupta still wearing diapers:

...the number of student contributions of $1,000 or more quadrupled between 1990 and 1996. Take 8-year-old Jason Corcoran -- a high roller barely out of his highchair -- who plunked down $1,000 for a seat at a Clinton fund-raising luncheon in October 1995. Or 10-year-old Emily Gartner, a ponytailed influence peddler who ponied up $250 for the president. Or 11-year-old Alexander Gupta, whose largesse keeps both Clinton and Nebraska Gov. Ben Nelson crammed in the hip pocket of his Toughskins...

...Alexander Gupta's brothers Ben and Jess are also frequent campaign contributors, although not so frequent as their father Vinod, who gave $53,000 in the last election cycle, including a $40,000 gift to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Little Emily Gartner's story is similar. She, brother Jeremy, sister Jennie and mom Sandra all gave $250 apiece on the same day that her father, Vermont businessman Allen Gartner, gave $1,000 to the Clinton campaign.


So what we have here is a form of kiddie money-laundering. Is it legal? Not if the money doesn't actually belong to the kids or if it wasn't their decision to contribute it.

...The eldest Gupta brother, 17-year-old Jess, told a reporter last year, "Truthfully, I'm not really associated with the donations. I'm not involved in a big way. Dad makes those donations in my name."

A. Jacksonian's reaction:

This sort of stuff really is galling, particularly when President Clinton would garner over $217,000 from these 'child donations'.... only by 1997, of course. Makes you kind of wonder just how much is being filtered through such donations...

The entire relationship is suspect. And the fact that it represents such a tiny microcosm of the entire Clinton sleazosphere is itself galling.

Now that Oprah has joined Barack Obama on tour...

 
...all of the Democratic candidates have found alliterative celebrities to accompany them.

Joe Biden's celebrity is Harry Belafonte; who -- coincidentally -- is a blowhard who'd be intellectually challenged in a game of checkers with a squirrel.

Hillary Clinton's celebrity is Chevy Chase. The general reaction to the announcement that he'd be hosting a talk-show was similar to that elicited by her contention that experience as First Lady qualified her for the Presidency. In effect: you've gotta be freaking kidding me.

Chris Dodd's celebrity is Tyne Daly. Dodd is to politics what Cagney & Lacey were to television.

John Edwards' celebrity is Bob Eubanks. The host of The Newlywed Game joins forces with the host of Channeling Fetuses.


Bill Richardson's celebrity is Rob Reiner. Both are nicknamed Meathead and both played second-fiddle to chunky, bleached blondes.

Dennis Kucinich's celebrity is Kermit the Frog. They have much in common: each had a painful experience with a UFO; each gives the impression that some unseen being -- inserted up their hiney -- is actually in control.

A military funeral in Texas

 
Email from my Dad (See below for update).

In Texas we really do pull off the road and stop for funerals......nobody moves until the last car has gone by. What follows is a message from Vicki about her nephew James' funeral (he was serving our country in Iraq):

"I'm back, it was certainly a quick trip, but I have to also say it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.

There is a lot to be said for growing up in a small town in Texas. The service itself was impressive with wonderful flowers and sprays, a portrait of James, his uniform and boots, his awards and ribbons.

There was lots of military brass and an eloquent (though inappropriately longwinded) Baptist preacher. There were easily 1000 people at the service, fil ling the church sanctuary as well as the fellowship hall and spilling out into the parking lot.

However, the most incredible thing was what happened following the service on the way to the cemetery.

We went to our cars and drove to the cemetery escorted by at least 10 police cars with lights flashing and some other emergency vehicles, with Texas police handling traffic.

Everyone on the road who was not in the procession, pulled over, got out of their cars, and stood silently and respectfully, some put their hands over their hearts.

When we turned off the highway suddenly there were teenage boys along both sides of the street about every 20 feet or so, all holding large American flags on long flag poles, and again with their hands on their hearts. We thought at first it was the Boy Scouts or 4H club or something, but it continued... for two and a half miles.

Hundreds of young people, standing silently on the side of the road with flags. At one point we passed an elementary school, and all the children were outside, shoulder to shoulder holding flags kindergartners, handicapped, teachers, staff, everyone.

Some held signs of love and support. Then came teenage girls and younger boys, all holding flags. Then adults. Then families. All standing silently on the side of the road. No one spoke, not even the very young children.

The military presence, at least two generals, a fist full of colonels, and representatives from every branch of the service, plus the color guard who attended James, and some who served with him . was very impressive and respectful, but the love and pride from this community who had lost one of their own was the most amazing thing I've ever been privileged to witness.

I've attached some pictures, some are blurry (we were moving), but you can get a small idea of what this was like."

* * *
Update: Several folks pointed out that this funeral occurred in Texas, not Tennessee. The post was updated to reflect this.