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Thursday, January 31, 2008Wisdom of Matthew Kenney (Vol. 1)"Temperature change is how many minutes until your ice cream melts!" -- Matthew Kenney, 31 January 2008 On the Scientific Measurements of Temperature Change Tuesday, January 29, 2008The 5 WhysWant to get to the bottom of a problem quickly? The 5 Whys is a method developed within Toyota Motor Company, emphasizing that it takes five iterations of "whys" to get to the meat of any problem. Of course, the uses extend across the spectrum. My kids use it. You could apply this for political questions, issues at work, why the house isn't clean, why a particular stock is doing poorly, or why the Redskins will win the Super Bowl next year (quit laughing). (h/t to kottke.org) Monday, January 28, 2008First Things: St. Thomas Aquinas, Priest, Doctor of the ChurchToday is the Feast Day of St. Thomas Aquinas, theologian and philosopher. Why did the Son of God have to suffer for us? There was a great need, and it can be considered in a twofold way: in the first place, as a remedy for sin, and secondly, as an example of how to act.St. Thomas Aquinas' work synthesizing Christian theology with Aristotelian philosophy was a massive moment in the history of the West, uniting for the first time two traditions torn apart as a consequence of the Muslim conquest of Byzantium. The Logos became Flesh. Powerful words. CatHouse Chat: Richmond Bloggers' Day cancelled for the KatAnd so it begins, as the SWAC bloggers edit and purge the ODBA. Sunday, January 27, 2008Democrats: The Party of the Klan?Erick Erickson over at RedState seems to have hit a nerve: Democrats always accuse evangelicals of projection. If a Republican is upset over gay rights, it is probably because that Republican is a closet homosexual.Ouch. Sadly, given former President Bill Clinton's comparison of Barack Obama to Jesse Jackson, that ugly head of the Democratic Party some have quietly suspected as still existing is making its voice heard. The party of slavery, segregation, and Jim Crow, appears to still be the party of the Klan. Robert Byrd must be pleased.Indeed. NRO: On Kennedy, ObamaHere's what NRO's Ramesh Ponnuru had to say about Kennedy's comparison of Barack Obama to her father: I assume that means that he'll be overrated, not that he'll bring us to the brink of nuclear war.Zing! Kennedy: A President Like My FatherNYTimes runs the op-ed, but I can't help but wonder what qualifications Caroline Kennedy mentions. Just emotion? Is that really all it takes to be the Democratic nominee? Saturday, January 26, 2008Obama Destroys Hillary in S.C.Politico has the results. WaPo: The Case For CowherFinally, a candidate we can all rally around (and no apologies for the terrible PS job).  Read on, as the WaPo's Redskins Insider speculated two weeks ago:So, from what I can gather so far, and we're way early in this process, Williams and Cowher are the names to watch. People around the league have told me that Snyder and his people soured on Gregg after the 2007 season - it's usually hot today, not tomorrow around here - and were somewhat lukewarm at midseason, but became big fans again down the stretch, particularly after the Minnesota game. Still, these guys think indications point toward Cowher.Cowher for Head Coach! Gregg Williams FIRED?!You've got to be absolutely kidding me: Williams met four times with Snyder to discuss the head coaching job, but it quickly became clear that the owner was more focused on other candidates, including former New York Giants head coach Jim Fassel, current Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.Jim Fassel wouldn't be a bad pick... nor would Bill Cowher (long rumored to be in the hunt). If there was a current Redskins coach I would have promoted, it would have been Gregg Williams. What he did with our defense was nothing short of incredible. In true Redskins fashion, this coach -- like many fired Redskins players and coaches -- will more than likely go on to do incredible things. Norv Turner? Took his team to the AFC Championship this year. Marvin Lewis? Bengals head coach. I still remember both Rich Gannon and Stan Humphries being the backups to Mark Rypien in '91 -- both went to Super Bowls. Trent Green, anyone? I'm sure just about every Redskins fan can name great players and coaches ripped away from the fans, only do to better things elsewhere. Geez. Steinbrennerism is a disease deserved only by the New York Yankees. UPDATE: Sorry, I've got to continue ranting about this terrible decision by Dan Snyder: "Coach Williams is a great coach," fullback Mike Sellers said. "The players love him. It would be sad to see him not get it."Of course, perhaps given this article we should have all seen this coming: Owner Dan Snyder wouldn't comment on Williams in particular, but did say the following:Yeah... so close knit Snyder couldn't wait to gut the mastermind of the only thing working in Washington. UPDATE x2: Sic Semper Tyrannis piles on... I'm sure we'll see cries of lament from Vivian Paige soon enough. GodRead this: Shane Cole Lilly was playing games at the Chuck E. Cheese's in Hampton when he spotted a large wad of cash on the floor. He picked it up and immediately asked a nearby man if he had dropped the money. The man took Shane Cole to restaurant manager Denice Hodge, and the child told her where he'd found the cash.Now contrast this to all the excuses, prevarications, and nonsense someone at the age of 30 would have offered as arguments to keep the money. God. What a great answer. (h/t to Bearing Drift) gongblog: Comparative Histograms of World Economic PowersNice. Friday, January 25, 2008Fred Thompson Campaign Post-MortemJon Henke discusses what went right; what went wrong. Democratic Central: Mark Warner has competitionThe competition's name? Jilian Modica, whose website offers a YouTube video that Democratic Central summarizes thusly: He has a YouTube video -- the message is that because he fell and hit his head as a kid, he knows what injured GI's with traumatic brain injury (TBI) are going through, so he'll stick up for wounded vets.One heck of a platform, though given the wide range of Rule .303: A Society that Builds, Has.Interesting read from Jack Landers. Of course, I would immediately question why I am being overtaxed as it is, but who am I to quibble when wealth redistribution runs amok! Personally, I stand to collect $2400 in this new schematic. Too bad I couldn't just keep that money when I made it the first time. Tuesday, January 22, 2008March for LifeTens of thousands of people descend upon Washington D.C. On the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Number of lines in the WaPo pre-gaming the March? Zero. In fact, if you read through the WaPo this morning, one would never know there was a March for Life this year. Pathetic. Monday, January 21, 2008Making the Dream a RealityVia Lifehack.org comes this post on twelve practical ways to make Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream a reality. On the personal side, my kids are starting to notice that some folks have darker skin than they do. It's mitigated by a large degree; two of them (Jonathan and Caroline) are pale like their mother, the other two (Matthew and Marie) about about a shade lighter than I am -- if that. Therefore, the conversation about skin color usually stops with toddlers and children comparing arms, then goofing off. Skin color, it seems, is a curiosity to them and little else. As much as I would love to shrug off history, it's not that easy. Something is owed, and regardless of the injustice we have a call to charity that transcends the reasons why. For myself, the tough part isn't explaining how human beings arrogated themselves to a position to buy and sell other human beings. The tough part is explaining those injustices (and yes, their effects) still exist in today's world. It's telling them that the world isn't all roses. That some people are going to judge others -- and them -- based on silly and superficial ideas. Worse, standing up for what is right isn't going to play out like Hollywood tells us it will be. Heroes are martyred. Plato's freed prisoner in The Republic was killed, not celebrated. Fighting against injustice isn't easy, otherwise it would have been done by smaller men and women than ourselves. The even tougher part? Hoping I raise them well enough to make sure they do their part levelling out that injustice. Deep down, I think that is the heart and soul of what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. tried to communicate to us with his life. Three Minutes of CultureYou deserve it, right? (h/t to Barticles) Roanoke Red Zone: The Case Against Governor Kaine’s Pre-K ProgramRead this: The current Pre-K program is plagued with problems. According to the Roanoke Times, schools are having difficulty filling the spots currently available--up to 1/3 are unfilled. Many school districts can’t afford to pay the local match required by the State. Others don’t have enough space for the kids.Brandon Bell lays 'em out. Great post. Sunday, January 20, 2008From On High: May Not Be What It Appears...Jerry Fuhrman comes at us From On High with this shocking revelation: how many of Perriello's potential constituents does that represent? How many people from the 5th District have written checks to his campaign?Two in-district contributors out of $263,000? Not exactly the "eye opening" revelation the Roanoke Times Saturday, January 19, 2008Potatoes is to Po-TAH-toes as Nevada is to Ne-VAD-oes...Especially for the citizens of STAN-ton, Fred-RICKS-burg, and BEYOON-a VIST-a, and other parts of the Commmonwealth. Nevadans are angry. More specifically, nev-VAD-ahns (said with the long 'a' in cat) are angry at being called ne-VAH-duns: Westerners generally pronounce the state's name correctly, but others inadvertently show disrespect when they can't get it right, Rocha said.For our more erudite readers, you can guess what is coming next: Daniel Enrique Perez, professor of Spanish at the University of Nevada, Reno, said Easterners' mispronunciation of Nevada actually is closer to the original Spanish pronunciation. Nevada derives from the Spanish verb "nevar," which means "to snow," and was possibly Anglicized by 19th century miners, he said.That still doesn't excuse transplanted Yankees from mispronouncing our cities and towns in Virginia. Besides, it's not like we Virginians have ever mispronounced anything native to these United States of am-UR-ca before, right? Paul Finishes SECOND in Nevada!...because he was the only one running besides Romney, who carried Nevada handily. Meanwhile, I'll be anxiously awaiting the South Carolina returns via Politico.com, as I anticipate a third place showing for Senator Fred Thompson (and a potential concession). Additional buzz seems to be that Hunter will be bowing out of the presidential race shortly. No confirmation yet, but that's the buzz. The Bivings Report: The Fallacy of Using Inbound Links to Track InfluenceI don't know what's the more interesting: The fact Bivings Report has a good post on the worthlessness of inbound links, or that this post now offers them one. Bearing Drift: Ahhh, shit. It’s Lee-Jackson Day. Again.Jim Hoeft takes on Lee-Jackson Day. Best line in the comments section goes to Stephen Braunlich: Incidentally, its a very nice collection of second place trophies they have on Monument Ave.Ouch. I've already made my thoughts known about the Confederate Flag once before. The same feeling extends towards Lee-Jackson Day. This has nothing to do with the character of Lee or Jackson. It has everything to do with the cause they defended. History should roughly judge these gentlemen just as we would judge Rommel, and every other "noble general" who defends a tyrannical cause. There is no greater sin against humanity than to have it in your power to end an injustice, and do nothing. Democratic Central: HENIOUS! Anti-abortion bills pending...I have to admit, I am becoming a huge fan of Democratic Central's cvllelaw. Good posts, not always about politics, and you tend to walk away with an informed opinion rather than the typical screed you'd find on many Virginia political blogs. Of course, some items I just can't leave alone, like this little tidbit about HB1315: HB 1315 would require that doctors who perform abortions first take an ultrasound image of the fetus and allow the woman a chance to view the image. Del. Kathy Byron, an abortion-rights opponent, claims that the legislation is intended to prevent late-term abortions that could endanger a woman's health. Offering the woman a chance to view the ultrasound adds information to the informed-consent aspect of Virginia abortion law "and should not be viewed as intimidation," Byron said. This same bill last year (HB 2808) passed the House of Delegates on an almost straight party-line vote of 60-38, but died on a 9-6 vote in the Senate Education Committee.Forgive my ignorance, but how this bill isn't acclaimed by both parties just shocks the heck out of me... Friday, January 18, 2008World Chess Champion Bobby Fischer Dies at 64From the WaPo comes this article. I can honestly say that were it not for Bobby Fischer's personal story and his books on chess, I would more than likely have not become a player myself. Thursday, January 17, 2008Too Conservative: A Thompson Surge?Vince Harris says: "What, me worry?" Those push polling on his behalf seem to have a different opinion: Given the shrillness of the push poll, it would seem to this observer that Dukakabee is looking at polls that show him in deep, deep trouble with Reagan conservatives in South Carolina. Monty Python is not impressed! From On High: Out of the Mouths of... CatholicsJerry Furhman from over at From On High is impressed with the Sacred Hearts University study on the state of journalism in America. I'm just surprised it came out of Sacred Heart. I remember long ago some TV talk show hosting several successful women from different professions and from various points around the country. One of them was then-ABC News reporter/anchor Carole Simpson*. One of the questions she was asked by an audience member had to do with the reason for her having gotten into journalism. Her reply (in so many words): "To make the world a better place."Indeed. During the 1920's and 1930's, it was extremely popular for journalists to take "man on the street" approaches to news. Many of these observations were collected into books and sold popularly, a few of which my grandfather collected and I own in my library today. The observations are fascinating, ranging from New Deal politics to Hitler's "War of Terror" against France and England during the 'phony war', with the Nazis constantly rushing to the brink or throwing out hopes for peace in the span of three to four days. The journalist described it as exasperating... and understandably so. Unfortunately, journalism isn't in the business of getting the story right. They are in the business of getting the story. At the end of the day, they have to sell newspapers and advertising space, and you don't do that with dry, factual analysis. And let's face it -- good storytellers, journalists, bloggers, and writers are far and few between. Wednesday, January 16, 2008McLaughlin on VirginiaJournalist Seth McLaughlin over at the Washington Times has his new blog up, one that joins RTD's Barticles, the Daily Press' The Shad Plank and the WaPo's Virginia Politics in the ranks of journalists-turned-bloggers. Personally, I find "journalist blogs" fascinating because they are an outlet (for them) to a world that is radically changing the traditional media. Moreover, these blogs are a sure insight to the biases and opinions of the individuals who write your news -- news many still accept as outright gospel. Tuesday, January 15, 2008Thompson in 2nd Place in South CarolinaHere comes the surge: Rasmussen Reports released their latest South Carolina poll. Fred has vaulted into a statistical tie for second place.Of course, the tie is a statistical tie, but given the recent movement in the polls, conservatives are certainly choosing their horse. A strong 2nd-place finish in South Carolina could very well be enough to keep Fred Thompson alive as the conservative contrast to McCain, Romney, or Giuliani. A win in South Carolina would vault Thompson to front-runner status... thus evicting the ghosts imposed upon him by a somewhat hostile drive-by media. Monday, January 14, 2008Barticles: ‘Our Inalienable Rights . . . to Publish Whatever the Hell We Want’
Of course, I've seen some of the criticism that "freedom of the press" is an American virtue by which the Canadian government is not beholden. (h/t to Bart Hinkle) Leslie Byrne Washes Her HandsFrom the Byrne for Congress blog: Just for the record, I take no responsibility for anyone’s blog except the one you are reading now.That's comforting. SWAC Girl: Fox now most trusted news in AmericaDo I believe it? Not sure... but I do know that at the very least FOX seems to give the opposition a fair enough hearing (even if that hearing is critical). Bristol Herald Courier: Marshall Emerges as Hero in Open Government FightConservative Delegate Bob Marshall receives accolades from the Bristol Herald Courier: A prolific producer of legislation for 16 years, Marshall watched a majority of his bills die in the subcommittee system without a recorded vote last year. In fact, his colleagues dispatched 55 of his bills in committee or subcommittee in 2007.You got that right. This is one more excellent reason I am proud to support Bob Marshall for U.S. Senate. Not only does he fire up conservatives, Marshall has never been afraid to back us on our issues and get the conversation started in Richmond. If you're a true conservative, Marshall is your man. Sunday, January 13, 2008Mises.org: Ten Recurring Economic Fallacies, 1774–2004Excellent reading if you are into Austrian economics, but there's a little something for everyone... such as this description of Hamiltonian ideas of high taxation: The idea here was that if you taxed Americans more, they would have to work harder to maintain their standard of living, thus increasing the gross product of the country and providing the government with more revenue to spend on grand projects and military adventures. Hamilton was once stoned by a crowd of angry New York mechanics. Is it any wonder why?Believe it or not, there are a frightening number of people who believe this. They make your laws, too. Saturday, January 12, 2008Guns are cool, swords are DANGEROUS!!!If you have a concealed carry permit, you can carry your firearm into the General Assembly... but not your sword. Now if this gentleman announced it was an oversized letter opener, would that work? Friday, January 11, 2008Deo Vindice: Why Evangelicals Need To Stop HuckabeeGreat post from Jim Bowden, and one sorely needed from the evangelical camp. What's funny in all of this is that typically, of the "religious right" camp it was always the Catholics who were charged with bringing their agenda of social justice into American conservativism. Huckabee stands to flip that generalization neatly on its head. Senator Webb, Hard at Work (Raising Your Gas Taxes)When Senator John Warner gets it right, you know this is good. Congress recently passed a significant energy bill and managed to resist increasing taxes -- but just barely. About 40 U.S. Senators held firm against a massive tax hike package on the energy industry to the tune of $13 billion dollars. $13 billion in taxes passed straight along to the price per gallon of gasoline at the pump. And guess how Jim Webb voted? (HINT: He voted yes) Not surprisingly, Senator Webb supported the tax package along with every Democrat U.S. Senator except one. Thankfully, John Warner and 39 other members of the Senate GOP stood strong and prevented this 11th hour tax from driving up the cost of gasoline. Sounds like Jim Webb and the Democratic Senate are doing all they can to sneak in tax schematics... no matter who it costs (or where it hurts). The Shad Plank: Claim against John Miller has a big credibility problemWant to know what a hammer reads like when it hits someone between the eyes? Read a lot like this. Obama: Your Imaginary, Hip, Black Friend!If the Ron Paul third-hand fundraising letters made you cringe, this statement from Team Hillary will make you gasp: "If you have a social need, you're with Hillary. If you want Obama to be your imaginary hip black friend and you're young and you have no social needs, then he's cool."Absolutely disgusting. Of course, whomever made the comment knew it was provocative. Wacko's tend to speak on background. Thursday, January 10, 2008Choose Your Font CarefullyGeorgia and Times New Roman gets A's, while Trebuchet received B's. The moral? Serif fonts are better than sans-serif fonts in impressing professors. Wonder if that has a corporate world lesson as well? Rasmussen: Warner 53%, Gilmore 38%That's a 15-point lead before the first shots have even been fired: In the 2008 Virginia Senate race, the latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey finds Democrat Mark Warner leading Republican Jim Gilmore 53% to 38%. Both men are former governors of the state of Virginia.Interesting also in the poll was Bush's disapproval ratings (41% rated him as "poor"), and Kaine's approval ratings at 50%. The real kicker is this: Warner's favorable/unfavorable ratings? 63%/32%. Gilmore's favorable/unfavorable ratings? 45%/47%. Undecideds were in the 5-8% range... about right, with a 4.5% MOE. Issues on the minds of voters? The economy, Iraq, and immigration (in that order). National security -- the nice way of saying terrorism? -- came in fourth at 16%. Perhaps instead of navelgazing as to why one candidate or the other can win, we should start exploring how Republicans will be able to win in this climate. WARNER VS. THE GRASSROOTS What follows are the completely unsolicited prognostications of a a poor boy from Virginia... who also happens to have run a campaign or twooowenty. The way you beat Mark Warner is not the way you beat George Allen. Warner will not be "macaca-ed" nor will it take a small, committed group of fanatics bleating on blogs to push the Republican over the top. It will take grassroots. Not the kind of whiny, infectious, "how come we don't get the credit" version of sissy campaigning we've seen pass over the last five-to-ten years. We need the riled up, true blue conservatives pounding turf, stuffing mail and eat pizza while the kids play on the floor, pass the collection plate twice, door knocking and picnic-style efforts that built the Republican majority during the mid-1990s. We need the kind of people who care so deeply about pro-life values, who worry about an ever-enroaching government, who work hard in their small businesses and come home to families they want to see grow up with opportunities of their own -- not ones handed out by the government. In short, we need a candidate that our fiscal and social conservative base can trust. HOW REPUBLICANS WILL BEAT MARK WARNER Contrast. Clear, undivided, and unmitigated. Keep this in mind: Social conservatives passed the 2006 Marriage Amendment by huge margins. Bolling and McDonnell -- social conservatives both -- outperformed Kilgore in the 2005 General Elections. Senate candidates who ran with their conservative credentials rather than against them (Miller's "walking money" notwithstanding) performed well, and in the popular vote Republicans outperformed Democrats in 2007. This is not a state that is turning Democratic. It is a state whose demographics are changing, but whose values are still deeply rooted in community, entrepreneurship, and the conservative message. Mark Warner will muddy the waters. The Democrats will pull all the stops, trying to get us to put "partisanship over politics" (translation: do as they want, and there'll be no problems) and paint the Republican as either a tool of President Bush or a extremist quack. Of course, we have the drop on them. It is not the extremist who says: * Taxpayers should keep more of what they earn, * Our 2nd Amendment is just defended as vigorously as the 1st, * Free market economics create wealth and opportunity, * Innocent life is precious at all stages, * Small businesses deserve a chance, * Marriage is between one man and one woman, * Education is a parent's choice, * The War on Terrorism must be fought -- ruthlessly at times. To the contrary, it is the extremist who says: * A bureaucrat will tell you on what and where your tax money will be spent, * Guns are for bad guys (and you're not a bad guy, are you?), * Corporations are bad, profits are evil, and wealth is for redistribution, * Women should kill their children for the sake of convenience -- and call it "choice", * Small businesses should assume their "fair burden" and tax their profit off the masses, * The power of government should define marriage, * The education of your children is the perogative of the state, * The terrorists hate us because our politicians and soldiers instilled the hate in them during the Cold War. Think about it. Is this not a summation of the conservative and progressive positions? Now some might disagree with the way I characterize the progressive/liberal position on many of these issues... but the kicker is (a) it's all true, and (b) the progressive bloggers have set the bar so damn low that it's not hard to rise above. LET'S GIVE VOTERS A CLEAR DECISION TO MAKE Either we are serious about our conservative principles, or we aren't. We were serious in the mid-1990s when we were building our majority. We lost that fire over the last ten years, and whether it was the corruption of holding power or the wrong people in office, we've got to find a candidate who feels that same fire. The last time I experienced a campaign with that kind of fire in Virginia was George Allen's race... in 2000. Before that, it would have been Oliver North's race in '94. Since then, true conservatives have found their time better spent at home rather than supporting so-called conservatives by fiat. We've been sold this line before... we want a believer this time. Mark Warner can be beaten. Badly. With sticks, if we pick the right candidate. Conservatives who have become disillusioned with the party are starting to re-emerge from their places of worship and their homes to find a Republican Party eviscerated by infighting and lukewarm leadership. Conservatives want a fresh choice, not a nuance and certainly not a return to the past. Give us a clear up-or-down fight against Mark Warner, and we'll get the job done. Squish on issues important to us -- abortion, taxes, 2nd Amendment, or marriage -- and we may vote, but we won't be bringing the family. Edmund Hillary, First Atop Everest, DiesSo says Scott’s Morning Brew channelling Fox News. I suppose someday, my kids will hear of Neil Armstrong's passing with the same reflection. How many more physical firsts are there left? First on Mars? Europa? Io? CNET: Microsoft squashes talk of dual-boot XO laptopWell, kinda. Read this. Gilmore Clarifies His Position on IraqAfter having watched the online debate between Bloggers for Gilmore chief Chris Green (Spank that Donkey) and D.J. McGuire et al., the Gilmore campaign will be issuing a statement exclusively on this blog to clarify his position on Iraq. Looking forward to this... because this is what we should be talking about: ISSUES! DEVELOPING.... UPDATE: Still waiting... Wednesday, January 09, 2008Bluey: ‘The Biggest Tax Cut in American History’Shaun Kenney does not like Rudy Giuliani. Rudy Giuliani could care less. But Shaun Kenney's opinion of Rudy Giuliani grew three sizes after reading this. And watching this: RealClearPolitics: 'Change' For Our ChildrenAnd we're not talking about Clinton-change either... we're talking about a system that is broken, and today's electorate content to fiddle while the future of our children burns: A moral cloud hangs over our candidates. Just how much today's federal policies, favoring the old over the young and the past over the future, should be altered ought to be a central issue of the campaign. But knowing the unpopular political implications, our candidates have lapsed into calculated quiet.Excellent article, and well worth the 2 minutes to scan and reflect upon. Mason Conservative: Kaine Backs Non-Partisan RedistrictingInteresting indeed, though given the previous history of the General Assembly, I question whether or not the Democrats will be so inclined -- or whether a split Assembly would even permit such co-operation? My vote? House will do their own redistricting, the Senate will do theirs, we'll haggle over the Congressional seats (which will by and large look the same), and call it a happy 2010 census. Bloggers 4 Gilmore Coming Unhinged?
Yikes... no one hand this man a shovel -- he's doing fine on his own.
 But no worries... D.J. McGuire sets 'em straight: The latest effort by Spank That Donkey to come to Jim Gilmore’s defense is, um, interesting. My continuing advocacy in favor of Delegate Bob Marshall is clearly getting to him. I would note, however, than even in his latest installment, Spanky can’t criticize Bob Marshall, and instead chooses to go after those of us who support him here in the blogosphere.Bingo, though it is nice to see that Marshall's conervative credentials are so unassailable that the targets of the opposition become Marhsall's supporters, not his ideals. Nixon would be proud, but poor Jim Gilmore is probably rolling his eyes. This is not the help he's looking for online... Why Did Hillary Win New Hampshire?
RWL: Spend-and-Spend Republicans?D.J. McGuire takes umbrage that defending Gilmore's conservative credentials consists of defending Gilmore's massive spending increases and bureaucratic centralization in Richmond introduced during his stay in the Governor's Mansion. Between this, Gilmore's screed against the pro-life "Catholic position" on abortion to the conservative National Review, and Gilmore's characterization of our soldiers in Iraq as "occupiers" in a June 18th Washington Post op-ed echoing MoveOn.org's call for a timetable of retreat in Iraq (during the surge I might add -- read this) -- and it's no small wonder why Republicans would rather have a strong conservative contrast rather than Gilmore's lip-service conservativism, where Mark Warner actually gets to the right of Gilmore on Iraq and fiscal spending. If there's any time for a tax revolt, if there's any time for social conservatives to prove their issues are important, now is the time. Marshall is the candidate. Monday, January 07, 2008This Doesn't Hurt HillaryEither this is the greatest acting job from a candidate I have ever seen, or we just received a genuine look into Hillary Clinton as a person. Only a person who has run for public office is going to be able to gauge the sincerity, and what she says is true. It's a tough thing to do, running for public office and putting your entire reputation, your beliefs, and yourself up for the most intense public scrutiny you could imagine. Not everyone can do it. Few have the intestinal fortitude to do so. Fewer still run the gauntlet as far as Hillary has done (35 years?), or many other presidential candidates. Disagree with her policies. Hillary's persona is fair game, but moments like these should make you stop and think as to what we really ask of a modern political candidate -- whether they are running for president or dog catcher, it's tough. Not a call for sympathy. Just a call for reflection. UPDATE: Of course, the Obama campaign certainly is making good on promises. 2008 certainly isn't like "1984." Sunday, January 06, 2008DON'T TAZE ME, BRAUGH!Police in Northern Ireland want Tasers. That is all. Civis Romanus Sum!With that one phrase, the centurion stretching out Paul of Tarsus for scourging relaxed his grip. Turning to his commander, the centurion repeated that this troublemaker bringing Gentiles into the Jewish Temple claimed to be a citizen of Rome. It wasn't the first time a scoundrel had made such a claim before punishment. It wouldn't be the last. This commander of the one of the cohorts defending (or more accurately, suppressing) Jerusalem hadn't risen to his rank on the basis of gullibility. Nevertheless, the punishment for violating the rights of a citizen of Rome was dire. The commander grabbed Paul's shirt and yanked him violently towards him, spitting as he spoke. "Tell me," his eyes narrowed at the ragged man, his arms stretched, "are you a Roman citizen?" Perhaps it was the look in the man's eyes. Or the calmness in his voice. But the stretch collection of rags and bone responded thoughtfully with a nod. "Yes." The Roman commander was not impressed, so he tested this beggar. "I," the commander lifted Paul by his tunic, "acquired this citizenship for a large sum of money." "But I was born one." The commander slowly set Paul down, as if he were a child. His face moved, his eyes drifted to the sinews binding the arms of his prisoner -- this "citizen of Rome" -- and beyond to a centurion still backing away. The commander's hands relaxed and rose from the dirty, now-crumpled tunic he held as he turned to his men, ordering Paul of Tarsus to be cut down. The next day, this once-beggar now Roman would speak before the entire Sanhedrin, at the orders of the cohort commander. Perhaps it was to curry favor with Paul. Or rather, perhaps he too was tired of the constant bickering and games of the Jewish Sanhedrin that for years the Roman Empire had simultaneously protected and watched. Yet called to order by the same cohort commander who knew the punishment for holding a Roman citizen against his will, even the Sanhedrin of Jerusalem could not disobey the power and command of Rome, her citizens, and her mighty legions. It would be a maxim Judea's Zealots would learn at the hands of Vespasian to accept -- or cease to exist. ORTHODOX "JUSTIFIABLE WAR" THEORY This tradition of Roman civil law extended to its successor in the east. The Byzantine Empire survived as both plague and the waves of war pounded the Christianized East. But survive Byzantium did. And in spectacular fashion, she began to reclaim her lost provinces, first in the Balkans by driving out pagan invaders from the steppe, then turning upon Arabs, Turks, and Persians in the East. By 1025, the Byzantine Empire literally stood atop the world as a colossus, doubling its territory from the losses of the previous four centuries and extending her wealth and power across the Mediterranean and Black Seas. Why did Byzantium's power grow? Tradition, position, and a high degree of internal cohesion all played parts. As the heart of Orthodox Christianity, it was the unique position of the Byzantine Empire to be seen as the defender of all Christians under her aegis -- both within and outside her borders. The result was a compelling reason not just for toleration in Muslim lands for Orthodox Christians, but for a nascent theory of what Orthodox scholars Alexander Webster and Darrell Cole have termed "justifiable war" under the Byzantine Empire. Different than the mere invocation of Roman citizenship, the Byzantine tradition infused Orthodox theology into her foreign policy, namely that since all Orthodox followers were part of the Body of Christ they were entitled to the full protection of God's instrument of justice on earth. Needless to say, the struggle between Byzantium and Islam did not end peacefully or well. But for 800 years it was the Byzantine Empire's tenacious grip on Anatolia that preserved the West for centuries. Once unleashed, the Turks under the Ottoman Empire rolled to the very gates of Vienna, only to be repulsed by a coalition of Austrians and Poles in 1683. AMERICAN PRESTIGE POST 9/11 I have always been fascinated with the idea that Americans have tended to command some degree of awe overseas. Sure, the propagators of the "uglyAmerican" slur would say otherwise. But even in the times it is deserved, there is always something about being an American abroad that commands a degree of conversation, if not respect. In the 1990's, talk of the Pax Americana reached across our consciences and into the next fifty years, with a greater degree of talk as to what that peace would entail and -- if push came to shove -- how it would be imposed. The so-called Peace Dividend after years of pushing against Soviet Communism would be spent making the world safe, not for democracy, but for commerce. As as so many spokes on a wheel, it would be the United States in the middle ensuring the wheels of commerce continued to spin. September 11th has been hammered long and hard into the American psyche over the years, more a reaction to America's Cold War policies than our new found presence as the world's economic and strategic superpower. Nevertheless, it is American presence and prestige around the world that has suffered. It wasn't that America was dealt some terrible blow on 9/11, but rather we bled that day. Suddenly, to be an American overseas was to be the object of derision. American interests were suspect. American businesses were seen as the imposition of American military strength if the object of importation (oil?) were strategic enough. American banks were now to be subsidized despite improper loans. American soldiers were even criticized back home by an anti-war left too enamored with the 1960's to understand 21st century realities. MODERN UNDERSTANDINGS During the 1970's, the Russians had a way of dealing with terrorism. They killed everyone -- terrorists, innocents, bystanders. The message was simple: Terrorism will be met with death. The Soviet government had no concern for civilians that were cogs in the socialist machine... new babies were born every day. Destroying the memory of martyrs was (and to some degree, remains) the key to any Russian counter-terrorist strategy... one that nearly succeeded in Afghanistan and continues to remain in the Russian psyche to this day, as the 2002 Moscow Theatre Siege 2004 massacre in Belsan illustrate quite cleanly. In this sense, the Russian government continues to prosecute its war against breakaway Muslim provinces such as Chechnya, Dagestan, and Ingushetia not because of some paranoid need to retain power, but rather because her policies dictate that Russians do not negotiate with terrorists, they kill them until their memory is wiped out. The Russian Federation's approach to terrorism is a violent and generalized modification of the approach of their Byzantine predecessors, though perhaps a slight return to first principles concerning a Roman ethos of violence. To contrast, Muslim jihadist have shown little compulsion towards being stinted by casualties. Thousands have died in Iraq and Afghanistan alone since the U.S.-led War on Terrorism began in earnest in October 2001. Thousands more stand to die. The one thing that hasn't died as of yet is the persona of al-Qaeda and its leader, Osama bin Laden. CIVIS AMERICANUS SUM! To announce one's citizenship as an American citizen used to be a calling card to the world. Like the British Empire before us, Americans uniquely enjoyed the status of all things attributed: wealth, power, but a naivete and simplicity that presented the opportunity to appeal to our revolutionary spirit. But unlike the British, ours was intended to be an empire not of culture and commerce, but of liberty. Announcing one's citizenship to the world is a calling card, and depending on the circumstances it implied many different things. For the Romans, it meant death. Byzantines, protection. Russians, violence. British, culture. For Americans, the announcement of one's status as an American was formerly in the vein of missionary zeal. In a Jeffersonian sense, it was the defense of innate human rights. In a Lincolnian sense, one did not belong to a man, but to Divine Providence. In a Wilsonian sense, men had the right to govern themselves. John F. Kennedy was the founder of the Peace Corps, where our best and brightest went overseas to help those nations in most dire need. Where the Soviets sent arms, we sent hands. Where the Soviets send indoctrination, we sent schools and teachers and books and tools. Where the Soviets schemed towards command economies, Americans dreamed of competitive economies and opportunity. To date, not only have detractors of the last best hope for peace and prosperity on Earth smacked away our efforts as opportunistic and shallow, but they have pegged Americans as weak and vacillating after the Clinton era of diplomacy. Bomb an embassy, they send missiles into Sudanese pharmaceutical plants... America is weak because America will do anything -- anything -- to preserve status. This must change. Americans are the living embodiments of one of two great revolutionary spirits, the other being our compatriots in France. But unlike the French, our revolution was never secular in spirit, but rather of religious men and women being able to live secularly, to set aside our differences in the interests of liberty and freedom. To be an American citizen abroad should embody the best of all worlds. Culture and opportunity, but also a short element of that revolutionary flavor that no American can truly shake free. American citizens do represent freedom from want, freedom from fear, freedom of expression, and freedom of worship. In short, American citizens demand freedom from tyranny. When denied, Americans alone have that unique power to bring the might of their influence to bear. Whether that influence is media, charity, persuasion, or at times force is entirely up to the American citizen. But his presence should be immutable, felt, and backed by action. Over the next fifty years, America's predominance will not be debated. It exists. What should be debated rather than "clashes of civilizations" and whether America's military might should be made present where diplomatic influence fails is what precisely it should mean to be an American abroad. Back to Paul of Tarsus. To say "I am an American citizen" whether on a plane, in a restaurant, in a refugee camp, or at a high-level dinner should say something. Better still, those who are not Americans should be given reason to pause and consider. What others consider -- and what we would like non-Americans to reflect upon when confronted with an American citizen -- will shape our approaches to a myriad of things at home, save nothing of the myriad of questions we will ask of ourselves. CRFV: Quote of the DayOn those with nothing who would rather protect the possibility of becoming rich than face the reality of being poor. Outstanding. Hillary Clinton Gets AngrySure it's just the debate, but put this situation in the White House, at a press conference, or with foreign dignitaries on a matter of some importance, and here's what you get: Woah. That's not just embarassing. That's just hotheaded Arkansas kamakaze spite showing her true colors. Lee Ann Washington for 99th HOD
RTD: Open the walletWhat's funny in this isn't Jeff Schapiro's description of the pre-General Assembly fundraising sponge, but the description of the Republican takeover: The election that further divided Virginia government is two months behind, but the campaign cash machine is still hungrily sucking up millions. It will continue doing so until noon Wednesday, the opening of the 2008 General Assembly.At first, a student of history might be offended. But he's right. When Republicans remember why we brought ourselves to "sack Rome" in 2000, we'll be trusted by the vast majority of Virginians again. But so long as half of that majority is disillusioned by watered-down or "big government" conservativism, the radical minority of progressives and liberals will beat us through organization and vitriol alone... as the last three years have demonstrated. Let's keep in mind that Rome herself was sacked many, many times in her history. Sometimes, those who sacked her to begin with became quite comfortable with the power and prestige of the Eternal City and tended to stay there... only to be sacked in turn. And those who forget history... well, you know. Saturday, January 05, 2008Romney Wins WyomingThis, with a New Hampshire win, puts Romney back on top: The former Massachusetts governor won six of the first eight delegates to be selected. Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson and California Rep. Duncan Hunter won one apiece, meaning no other candidate could beat Romney. Caucuses were still being held to decide all 12 delegates at stake.Hunter, Thompson, and Paul all made visits to Wyoming as well, with seemingly little effect. Virtucon: Game On In The Fighting 99thJim Riley has the scoop... and RedStormPAC will be answering with some online donation widgetry to take on Albert Pollard. It's an uphill fight... and Washington probably understands that she's the underdog. Nevertheless, there's no way Pollard will be able to run the nasty, divisive race he ran against his opponent in the general election -- newly elected State Senator Richard Stuart. In special elections, the name of the game is turnout for the upcoming election, not the one prior -- so there's no buying the old "he won this seat before" tripe. Add to the mix one Senator Stuart and one Congressman Wittman plus the 1st District Republican Committee... it's going to be a fun race. Time to put this one away! HTLYLWILM: On Lifelong RepublicansForgive me for the acronym, but a chord has been struck and ire raised. Heh. Winners and Losers of the Iowa CaucusAfter the smoke has cleared... here's the breakdown: WINNERS: Fred Thompson in 3rd may not be such a big deal... but considering the man jumped in late, fended off several heavily funded campaigns, and still did well in Iowa -- that says something. Thompson doesn't even have to do well in New Hampshire at this point, but he will have to perform well in Michigan and South Carolina to show strong for February 5th. Mike Huckabee won huge in Iowa, though it will more than likely be the last state he wins. McCain or Romney winning in New Hampshire will be the story leading into South Carolina, and with Thompson eroding Huckabee's base... well, South Carolina isn't going to be pretty. Ron Paul at 10%? Given the polls were showing him at somewhere closer to 4% in Iowa, a double-digit showing in New Hampshire now poses some serious questions to his inner circle. Blow the $20 million on a nomination you won't win, or build that third party? John Edwards in 2nd place was huge, for two reasons. First, though Obama won, he was close to his native state of Illinois and was expected to do well if not win. Secondly, Edwards didn't just do well -- he bumped off Hillary Clinton. Edwards is no longer a second tier candidate to be mildly considered... as Obama and Hillary continue to beat one another to pieces, this trial lawyer from North Carolina could very well move right up the middle and capture several key states going into February. John McCain is going to do extremely well, mostly because Republicans have a tendency to go with the old war horse in times of indecision (note Bob Dole in '96). Call it the Eisenhower Principle... when in doubt, find the oldest military veteran in the field and run THAT GUY! LOSERS: Mitt Romney is in deep, deep trouble. In my opinion, he absolutely needs a win in between Iowa (which he should have won) and Michigan. Anything less and he's just riding coattails and names. Hillary Rodham Clinton... this campaign is finished. Aggregate polls show Obama with either leads or in the margin of error (with the exception of one odd pollster consistently showing HRC with double-digits or better in New Hampshire). If HRC had come in second, then she would have had a bit of momentum, but John Edwards' second place finish has all but destroyed this campaign. She bows out after February 5th after struggling elsewhere. Rudy Giuliani, not because he did anything wrong at this point, but (a) he's all but conceded New Hampshire, (b) did not play in Iowa, (c) will not play in South Carolina, and (d) is putting his campaign life on beating all comers in Florida. Lose Florida, and his national popularity will not be enough to win Feburary 5th. Moreover, he is allowing for alternates such as Mike Huckabee to rise to the fore. America, because all this self-important navel gazing is a bunch of crap... Unemployment "Surges" to 5%?!?Give me a break... during most of the 1990's the unemployment rate was at about 5.5%. I call shenanigans. Thursday, January 03, 2008WTOP: Court Won't Rehear Case on Open Primary LawWTOP is reporting that the 4th U.S. Circuit Court will not rehear the case that sprung the "loyalty oath" hubbub last December: In October, the appeals court ruled unanimously that open primaries are constitutional when freely chosen by a political party because state law also provides the option of closing the nominating process by holding conventions or canvasses, known as "firehouse primaries."Good riddance. The sooner we move to party registration, the better. Wednesday, January 02, 2008FactCheck.org: Huckabee Cut Crime and Taxes?Oops. Dukakabee gets caught in a misstep, but this time in a positive (not a negative) ad: In the run-up to the Jan. 3 Iowa caucuses, Huckabee is running a TV ad featuring graphics that claim he was "tough on crime" and "brought Arkansas' crime rate down," and that he "cut taxes over 90 times as governor."The same predictable (and tiresome) few always rail about negative camapaigning. I hate it. They don't have a clue what they are talking about. There are two types of campaign ads: positive (reasons to vote for a candidate) and negative (reasons to vote against a candidate). Cross-sectioning these, there are two ways to get the message across: truthfully, or untruthfully. It's the latter category -- untruthful or nasty campaigning -- that is the enemy. And while most people associate nasty campaigning with negative campaigning, the truth of the matter is just because it's a positive, uplifting ad doesn't mean it's not misleading you... on purpose... I want to know why I should vote for and against a candidate. What I shouldn't tolerate as a voter is when those ads stray into untruthful or inaccurate claims. So the next time you read about someone whining about negative campaigning, ask yourself whether the candidate targeted would ever spend money advertising his faults? HINT: the answer is "no". Once you answer that, then ask yourself whether or not the ad is truthful and honest about its claims... then make an informed decision for yourself. BVBL Pisses Off Commies...BVBL blogger Greg Letiecq is getting some loves from his Mother Jones: She later told me Help Save Manassas was closely aligned with the local Republican Party and had taken up the issue of illegal immigration as a matter of political convenience. "It used to be gays. Now it's illegals. They're just looking for ways to scare and divide people." The real issue that Letiecq and his supporters have with the immigrants "is only that they're not quite white."Don't know what's funnier. The fact that Mother Jones is so out of touch with reality, or that they probably wrote an article Greg will be handing out to friends for years to come. I mean, when you get blasted by Mother Jones... man, you've arrived. Tuesday, January 01, 2008NYT Blog: Huckabees Remarkable Play...remarkable only in the sense that it was a dumb play. There's a video at the blog you should see. I was almost prepared to write in Dukakabee's defense until the moment he announced he was so outraged -- so rock solid on positive campaiging -- that he was going to show the ad to the press. Better play: Give the same speech, refuse to run the ad, and let reporters ask to see it. If you watch the video, Huckabee knows something we don't... namely that McCain is rising in the polls and looking formidable coming down the stretch (if this can be described as a stretch). In fact, one might calculate that Dukakabee is running for Vice President after this stunt... ...we'll see. McCain/Huckabee, anyone? WSJ: Be ReasonablePeggy Noonan with the Wall Street Journal has her list of reasonable and unreasonable candidates that could emerge from the Iowa caucus. Reasonable GOP Candidates: Mitt Romney, John McCain, Duncan Hunter, and Fred Thompson. Reasonable Democratic Candidates: Joe Biden, Chris Dodd, Barack Obama, and Bill Richardson. Noonan outlines her reasons why each candidate is reasonable or otherwise. Surprisingly, the only Paul that gets mentioned is - John Paul the Great, the subject of Noonan's 2005 book. Hunter, Thompson, and Richardson all seem to get short thrift as being reasonable, bu not worthy of analysis (or perhaps they are so reasonable as not to merit discussion on the point). Guliani she describes as reasonable... but undesireable, and defers her rationale for another time. It'd take me an op-ed to go through the litany as well. John "The Breck Girl" Edwards also gets the dubious honor of being both unreasonable and undesireable. I'd agree, and for the same reasons Noonan describes. As for me, I have no worthwhile predictions/recommendations on the Iowa caucus. The real battle starts in New Hampshire, gets decided in Michigan, and ends on February 5th. If the Virginia Republican primary were held today, there's no question that Virginia would go strongly for Thompson.* * EDITORS NOTE: I was originally going to write "go strongly Thompson" until my six-year old son Jonathan told me this was improper English. Pfft... kids nowadays with all their knowledge and book learnin'...
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JEFFERSONIAD POLL: Whom do you support for Virginia Attorney General?1) John Brownlee2) Ken Cuccinelli AboutShaunKenney.com is one of Virginia's oldest political blogs, focusing on the role of religion and politics in public life. Shaun Kenney, 30, lives in Fluvanna County, Virginia.ContactThe Jeffersoniad
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